


☽ Youth ☾

by CheshireCatLife



Category: The Originals (TV), The Vampire Diaries (TV)
Genre: Adopted Children, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Attempted Murder, Child Neglect, Childhood, Childhood Memories, Children, Domestic Fluff, England (Country), F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Humor, Growing Up, Growing Up Together, Kidnapping, Mates, No Smut, Older Man/Younger Woman, Parent-Child Relationship, True Forms, True Mates, Vampires, Young, Young Elena, Young Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-11
Updated: 2017-12-10
Packaged: 2018-09-24 08:25:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 27,050
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9713264
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CheshireCatLife/pseuds/CheshireCatLife
Summary: ☽ 'my youth, my youth is yours,Klaus needs a doppelganger and he has one...a five-year-old one. A quick decision and a huge mistake brings him together with a young Elena. His preparation for the ritual is complete but never did he think that this doppelganger might just be the one person he truly cares about. ☾





	1. Chapter 1

* * *

**Youth**

_A Klena Short Story_

_All Copyright Goes To The Creator Of The Vampire Diaries And The Originals_

* * *

 

  **1.**

How To Kidnap A Child

 

At five-years-old, Elena was oblivious to the world around her as she lay back against her younger brother's back. His scruffy hair tickled at her neck as it brushed every time he slouched down in his boredom. Tonight they had nothing to do, no toys to play with an especially no parents to nag.

It was date night their parents had told them and that had left the both of them in Aunt Jenna's presence- which really wasn't much. Jenna, being in her teenage years, didn't particularly care for looking after the children. She was more worried about their simple needs before she had slunk off to the sofa to binge watch one of her new shows.

Jeremy and Elena, to pass the time, had already competed in an arm-wrestle- to Elena's annoyance as her brother was only three-years-old and had still beaten her- played with their Elena's, apparently stupid, doll house and ran around with cars in their little hands playing make-believe.

Now, the quench their unending boredom, Elena and Jeremy had found themselves rummaging through their parent's wardrobe, trying on their parent's oversized and baggy clothes- Jenna oblivious to what the two children were doing. Everything, naturally, was draped loosely over the children's frames causing them both to stumble as they ran around their parent's bedroom, the clacking of the heels echoing around the house yet Jenna, with her headphones now stuck in her ears, was still oblivious- shamefully so.

They tried on outfit after outfit, ripping dresses and suits that could have cost as much as hundreds of dollars. Oblivious to the damage they were doing, the children continued until their little hands were too tired to reach up and drag yet another shirt from its hanger.

Finally, the clothes were bundled on the floor and both Jeremy and Elena were left in the pyjamas they had been in before. They giggled quietly, trying to muffle their voices as to not alarm Jenna yet, in their fantasy world, they could not even think to believe how much noise they had been making before.

Finally, with an enormous pile left behind, they snuck into their separate rooms. The night had left a smile on her face, one that would be so easily wiped away from the events that were to come. That night, she would lose her family and although she would gain a new one, it would only cause her pain. It would let her lead a closed off life, even if there was a smile on her face. She was going to live with monsters- monsters that had her just to use her. She was there to break a curse, such stupidity on her part to believe that she was there for something more.

Yet, she knew, _he_ knew, that wasn't all she was there for. She was there for more and despite her own insecurities growing the older she got, they knew that the events that took place were for her benefit and _his._

She was five, though, for now. Yet, that didn't change a thing, did it? Because despite her oblivious now, you don't stay oblivious forever.  

***

Klaus looked up at the open window once again before reaching a conclusion. He was better to take a willing doppelganger when young than an unwilling, much older, one. He didn’t want for another one to scamper off again.

It hadn’t taken him long to figure that the young girl was the next doppelganger of the Petrova line. Elena clearly resembled a young Tatia as well as the elder Katherine. Her young features were still as dainty as the elder doppelgangers just as her smile was just as wide.

She was a beautiful child and Klaus knew that she would grow up to be a beautiful woman, just as the ones before her had been. He had fallen in love with one and seduced the next, he was sure he could befriend another.

Klaus abruptly broke off his train of thought and concentrated on his plan. Despite his haste nature, he had to think this through. He was weighing a lot on this plan and if it were to go wrong, he would have a crowd of police on his trail.

He wished it would be as easy as killing her but if her blood proved pointless, her death would be for nothing and this was Klaus, the man who had taken pity on a child once before. And, if he could help it, he would rather not kill more than he already had. Their souls weighed heavier on his shoulders than the rest. His next plan of action was simply to fake her death. It seemed easy in theory and maybe it would be but he couldn’t help but notice the flaws in his plans. For example, if a vampire were to take part in the investigation of the death at any point in time, all things could easily lead to a kidnapping. He would have to rely on his instinct- only humans would be involved. He wasn’t sure if this was his best plan but if he wasn’t going to kill her and he wasn’t going to let her grow old without his presence, his only option was to take her.

He spotted a young Elena in the window, leaning her face against the window, fogging up the glass as she breathed gently onto it, almost asleep already despite not so much as touching her bed. It was a late for a child, Klaus knew, despite his lack of knowledge in the modern way of raising a child. His experience was minimal. His own step-father had been cruel and his real father was dead and the one time he had to experience fatherhood had ended in a vengeful son. If he was going to do this right, he would have to everything in his power to be kind to this girl. No matter how much it would strain him.

He let the monster flood his mind and all thoughts of consequences disappeared as he leapt onto the windowsill, smiling down at the sleeping girl. He cuddled her in his arms before falling backwards, landing on the ground with the girl still safely in his arms. Before anyone could notice he had stowed her away in the backseat of the, disappointingly slow, getaway vehicle.

As he shut the door he couldn’t help but think that it would be easier to kill her but he had too much blood on his hands and he couldn’t risk this not working. He had to free the wolf from within him and if that meant he would have to live his life with a snotty child for a few years, he would make that sacrifice.

Shaking the thought away, he drew his attention back to the house, bustling through his pockets until he found his lighter. Not that it would do much without fuel. Opening the boot of the car, he found a container of petrol and lugged it up to Elena’s room, carefully spreading as to not let the fire spread further than her room but enough the char the furniture...along with a body.

As soon as he let the lighter fly to the floor, the room lit up like a torch. He hurried out quickly and opened the boot once again, picking up a body of a young girl, one he ordered to be dug out from the graveyard- similar looking to the girl still sleeping in the back, and threw her into the fire, mercilessly watching the dead girl's body burn.

Before long, he had jumped into the driver’s seat, shut the door as quietly as he could not to wake up the sleeping girl and revved the engine before driving down the dimly lit street, the only light coming from two dim street lamps and the ablaze room behind him.

Soon enough, he would reach his destination and take the plane, one of his own collection, to meet back with the rest of his newly-awakened family where he could forget that he ever did this horrific crime and get on with his blood-ridden life.

***

Elena, on that night, had been stripped of her family, of her life. Whatever fate had planned for her had been ripped to shreds. It didn’t happen often, fate was all-powerful- yet, even the largest of forces had anomalies. Elena was just one of them.

Yet, nature always tried to fix its problems and they knew the way home...or so it thought. It would reveal it all the day she became an adult. The day humanity said she could live for herself, fate would show her a better life, one that she could try to return to.

Fate didn’t know just how ungrounded their plan was.

Even when Elena would be shown on her eighteenth birthday, anything could happen. She could run back to her family, she could run to her friends that were supposed to be, she could stay with the monsters she would learn to call parents or she could simply live life alone. There were infinite options other than those, too. Fate has to control too much and trying to set one girl back on track won’t always be easy, especially if the girl was a doppelganger.

***

Elena woke up encased by darkness, her body jostling as the car sped down the road. She threw herself upwards, scared and alone about to call out for her mummy when she paused. Outside the window was a blur of beauty, entrancing her- hypnotising.

When she finally broke from her state, she almost called out again. The man in the front seat was no man she had ever seen before. Not her parents, or a relative, a stranger- a stranger with a dark aura.

Not only was there a man but a woman too. She looked fierce, angry and ready to kill. Elena had never been more afraid in her life. Tears began to spill and sniffles began but she never said a word. She didn't want to see their faces, she was too scared to see their faces. They didn't listen to her silent request. The female, the one who wasn't driving, turned, revealing a heavy set of makeup and a mask of irritation on her face.

Elena shuffled backwards, finding herself as far back as possible in seconds. She was trapped. Trapped with these two strangers in a strange metal contraption that she could only assume was a car- it wasn’t her parent’s car. The woman, with inhuman speed, flung her head to the man in the driver’s seat, away from Elena. She nodded before the man sighed and pulled over. Elena looked at them with wide eyes. Why were they stopping? Would she see her parents again?

The man flung himself out of the car and approached her door, opening it gently, and bringing her out of the car by the waist and standing her on the ground, crouching to reach her level afterwards. She trembled with fear but his touch, rather than scare her further, seemed to have at least some calming effect.

He stared at her, his pupils dilating just a fraction before he spoke. ‘Calm down.’ He spoke so soothingly, gently that Elena could not resist following the orders. She no longer shook, a calm smile spreading across her face. The man blinked and suddenly it was gone. She was still calm but no longer entranced in the man’s icy eyes. His voice, when he spoke again, had been replaced by anger and impatience but Elena was no longer scared, in fact, she believed it to be calming.

‘I’m Klaus, Elena. This is my sister Rebekah.’ He began, warily searching the child’s eyes for signs of running. It would not be as if she could get anywhere- she was a young human, he could catch her in less than a second.

‘W-Who are you?’ She spoke, eyes wide and juvenile. She looked so innocent. A star in contrast to Klaus’ darkness.

‘We’re your new parents, we adopted you, don’t you remember?’ Klaus lied smoothly. Elena simply looked shocked.

‘My parent’s gave me away?’ Her eyes filled with tears and it was clear that Klaus had begun to panic. His eyes darted to their surroundings to find anything, anyone to help. But, Rebekah stepped in. She had always wanted a child and her reading on parenthood would come in handy for the time being.

‘No, Elena. They simply wanted to give you a better life. So, now we’re your parents, okay? We’re going to take extra special care of you.’ Rebekah’s lies were less smooth than Klaus’, she hated lying to the girl, such an innocent girl at that but it had to be done. Elena’s face brightened up immediately, such childish acceptance.

Elena should have been scared but she wasn’t. These people were so calming, their auras mysterious but calm. They looked unafraid. They looked like the people Elena wanted to be: strong, powerful, kind. She was wrong. These people were all too powerful and nothing less than cruel. Except for Elena. For Elena, they had gone soft. Why not just compel the girl? Neither were sure why they didn’t do just that.

‘What about my brother?’ Elena looked hopeful, though her smile diminished. Rebekah and Klaus looked at each other in panic. They had not prepared for that question at all. This was all too spontaneous and they knew the lie would most likely put them at some sort disadvantage- whatever that could be with a five-year-old.

‘He’s going to join us, just not yet.’ Rebekah smiled fakely, her voice breaking slightly towards the middle of the sentence as Elena’s face dropped.

‘But he is coming, right?’ She asked, her eyes wide with hope. Rebekah nodded, strained and guilty and began to clamber back into the car without turning back.

‘Of course he is.’ Klaus reassured, unsure of what else he could do. Despite knowing this plan of action would backfire, it would put her off the subject for a while or at least, he hoped. He propped her back into the backseat and got into the driver’s seat again and pulled back out onto the road.

Elena felt a calm wash over her. She had better parents now, right? That’s what they said. She only had the mindset to believe them. She felt she had no reason not to. She couldn’t know this was unusual. She couldn’t even tell something was off, this was all what she believed could be normal. She drew her attention back to the window and watched as they passed field upon field, some decorated with fields of corn, other with mysterious animals Elena had never seen and even a few that expanded for miles, going as far as the horizon.

‘Where are we?’ Elena asked quietly, smiling, continuing to watch as they passed by more and more unfamiliar territory. Rebekah turned around, putting on her best sweet smile in attempts not to scare the child and gently said, ‘England, dear.’

 

 


	2. Chapter 2

**2.**

How To Ignore A Child

 

Elena couldn’t tell what she was supposed to think of the statement. England. It rang through her head like church bells, echoing over and over and over. Such a foreign country, so far away from home. How had she found herself here with no memories of the journey? How had she forgotten that she was being  _ adopted?  _ It could have been her age or maybe it was just the mind play of Klaus himself- who came across as so gentle and caring. A facade to hide the real monster.

She looked at both of them, her brows furrowed in thought. She examined them from head to toe and couldn’t seem to make any inferences about them. Age, ageless. Personality, private. Looks, rather different despite supposedly being siblings. Then again, despite saying they were siblings, they were now her parents, weren’t they? Elena couldn’t fathom how that was possible.

‘Are you okay, little one?’ Klaus asked from the front seat as her face became more and more contorted as she pondered over who her new parents really were.

‘Yeah.’ She smiled gently at him, staring into his bright blue eyes as if they were the sea. She wasn’t afraid, she wasn’t timid, she wasn’t even shy, she was excited, excited to have these new parents in her life. Her old parents, if that’s what they could now be deemed, were amazing- she loved them- but that hadn’t stopped them from being busy. They were doctors, they worked long shifts, laborious shifts. They often came back tired and drained in the morning, not realising that they were supposed to bring Elena to school. Elena didn’t mind, she still loved them but there were definitely times of...loneliness. If Jeremy hadn’t been there, she wouldn’t know what she would have done.

Klaus laughed at the pure endearing nature of the child. He was drawn in every time he looked at her. It was as if she really was his daughter. He hadn’t felt this before, this happiness. He had raised a child only once before but with Marcel, his paternal instincts were different- he was a mentor, not a father. This was something new, a paternal bond. No, something different. It wasn’t quite placeable.

They looked at each other gently, both smiling, before Klaus regained his attention and scowled as he threw his gaze back to the road, paying attention to the road ahead. He couldn’t think thoughts like that, not now, not ever. This child had her purposes and that was all it was. She was there to die...so he could live. Because he knew what he was living now was not life. He felt that part of himself locked away. It was agony. So, Elena was here to fix him.

It seemed, she was fixing him in a very, very different way.

After an hour of silent driving, Klaus stopped the car. All three of them peered out the window, varying emotions through each of them. Klaus, a nonchalant feeling of dismissal as he saw the familiar house- one that he had lived in centuries house. Rebekah, nostalgia. She had lived here for so long so long ago. She had loved it and she wished to love it again. Elena, awe. The house- or mansion, rather- was huge, beautiful and no doubt luxurious on the inside from the sneak peek she saw through the closed off windows.

The lights blared on before any of them left the car, someone was inside. Someone Elena hadn’t met just yet. She was blinded momentarily but it seemed neither of her parents in the front seat even blinked. She wondered why.

Both adults slipped from the car quickly, leaving the poor girl behind. Of course, at five, Elena hadn’t even left a booster seat, never mind get out of a car. She was trapped. The seatbelt trapped her in the seat and the door trapped in the metal box that was slowly suffocating her. The air felt thick, tension rising, tears meeting her eyes. She frantically looked around, unsure of what to do. She saw the red button saying press, no doubt to get the seatbelt off, but as she pressed down, it didn’t seem to be going very far. She wasn’t sure what she was doing wrong but the button was not moving. She was still trapped.

Tears began to spill down her cheeks as she watched both Klaus and Rebekah stray from the car, not even looking back to check Elena was there. They had come to assumptions too quickly. Klaus was the first to look back and with a brief look of panic passing his face, he paced back to the car and opened the door to reveal a heavily-breathing, panicking Elena.

‘Why aren’t you coming, Elena.’ Klaus was panicking himself, although he would never show it on the outside. The little girl was bawling by now, such childish nature that he wasn’t yet used to.

‘I can’t do it!’ She sobbed, pressing down on the button harshly, it still not moving- whether it was jammed or her, Klaus was unsure.

‘Please don’t cry, little one.’ He panicked as he frantically looked around. Was he supposed to do it for her? Was he supposed to stop her crying? Was he supposed to do something, anything? He growled, annoyed at himself more than the girl but in doing so, he had bared his fangs. His eyes met hers and suddenly the tears dripping down her cheeks weren’t from panic but from fear.

Elena recoiled, her eyes wide but she was still trapped, she couldn’t move. Her eyes burnt and her lungs screamed in agony as she continued to sob. She was scared, terrified, afraid of the man she was already beginning to warm to. Afraid of the monster he truly was.

Klaus’ eyes quickly widened as he retracted his fangs and cupped the girl's face. ‘Please don’t cry.’ He begged. He wouldn’t let the girl see him for the monster that he was. Not until it was needed, at least. His mind told him it was for safety- so she wouldn’t run. He should have known better. This was for his own selfishness- he wanted to satisfy his quench for somebody, anybody, to show him any love, anything true. Someone to see him as anything but the monster he was deemed to be.

He rushed to wipe the tears from her cheeks and finally decided to just push down the button and undo the seatbelt, an easy task for him- especially as it appeared that it wasn’t jammed. He pulled her out of the seat and into his arms, embracing her as she stained his cashmere coat with dirty tears.

‘Everything’s okay, Elena. That’s how you say it. Elena, right?’ She nodded and he smiled. He never was one to remember names but he could tell he was already infatuated. He would deny it, hide it but never would he forget that he cared about this girl. It would always be there, he could feel that- even so soon after meeting her. It was like fate.

He continued to calm her in a hushed tone as Rebekah gaped at the two of them. Her brother hadn’t looked so gentle, so kind since he was a child himself. This child really was a miracle. Rebekah wallowed in it. It wouldn’t last long, even she knew that. As one of the few that loved that man, she knew the girl would one day be abandoned but for now, she would let him have his fun. Let him love a girl that he was going to kill. A torturous game to let continue but an even worse one to stop.

Elena’s tears finally dried up as Klaus set her down, smiling gently. ‘Come on, little one, it’s time to see your new home.’ One last smile and the fear was drained from her. She hardly remembered what happened. How blissful to have such little memory. How blissful to already forget how much a monster your father is.

Elena grasped Klaus’ hand gently, letting Klaus encase hers with an odd feeling of cold that brought warmth to her small hand. He led her into the house slowly, her little legs walking fast even to match his slow pace. Klaus soon lost his patience, though, and swung her back into his arms and opened the door to the mansion.

In that moment, as the door opened, Klaus didn’t feel weak, even with a child in his arms. He felt that once such feared atmosphere: peace. But, he knew peace didn’t last long. ‘Nik!’ Rebekah screeched, vibrating the very foundations of the house. Elena trembled, burying herself in the crook of Klaus’ neck as he scowled at his sister who had apparently used her inhumane speed to check the house.

‘Rebekah.’ Nik said, a volume that no human would hear from that distance but he knew Rebekah would. ‘You know there is no need to shout. My hearing has not dulled since the last time we talked.’ His voice was impatient but his temper was not yet lost. He was used to his sister’s childish tantrums, his only hope that he could get through Elena’s too.

Rebekah huffed and didn’t continue to whine as she once was. It would only be something petty. A lack of dresses, maybe, or maybe she only had 199 pairs of shoes and not 200. Something very...Rebekah.

‘Should we get you to bed, love?’ Klaus laughed as he looked at the girl nodding off on his shoulder. She nodded weakly, her eyes shutting, burying herself deeper into the crook of Klaus’ neck. Klaus chuckled once more and quietly made his way up the stairs, taking Elena to the last door on the left- her bedroom.

Suddenly more awake, Elena stared, marvelling at the door. It was carved intricately, her name engraved on the door. Klaus had put special attention into the details. He wanted the girl to feel at home, if only just to trick her into a false sense of security.

‘Do you want to see inside?’ He asked gleefully, watching her nod furiously with a wide smile on his face.

‘Let me see!’ She squealed. Klaus agreed, setting the girl down on the floor and putting his hand on the door handle.

‘Come on sweetheart, let’s see your new room.’ He pushed the door open and inside was the most beautiful thing Elena had ever seen. It was a girl’s paradise. Her paradise.

The little girl squealed. Although Klaus wasn't informed on how to look after a child, he did know what any child would want. He was, after all, a child himself once- no matter how long ago.

The room was laced with pink ribbon, the curtains a light white framing the large window. The windows were on either side of the doors, two large glass doors leading to a balcony unneeded for a young girl. ‘I love you!’ She screamed, freezing Klaus in place.

‘You love me?’ He stuttered, out of his comfort zone. She nodded enthusiastically, ‘I love you?’ She jumped up into his arms and any tighter and she could suffocate him, even if it didn't affect him.

‘Well, thank you.’ He smiled, not daring to respond appropriately- this girl was going to die for his cause, attachments weren't allowed. But, it was already happening. He couldn't deny it, there was an attachment. He couldn't see what it was- but it was there. He hated it. In fact, he despised her. But, no matter how hard he tried, he could not despise the girl. The girl with the shining smile, the girl with the doe brown eyes that looked up at him with such awe that he could hardly draw back a smile.

Klaus let her down from his grip, prying her from his body. 'Go play.' He laughed, not realising that the child needed to sleep, nor did he care. He left Elena quickly, hoping to gather his thoughts into a strategy rather than his chaotic, almost terrifying, thoughts. Thoughts of caring, loving. All for a child he would kill, he had to break these attachments. Although, he already felt the turmoil it would take to break it.

It was not as if he had never cared before, he loved his family- in his own way. He had loved Marcel, the child he had raised once before yet from a much older age, in a time when maturity was to be learnt young. His turmoil came from the sacrifice, it could surface too many emotions for him to cope with. He already suffered the gut-wrenching guilt of a thousand years buried deep. Killing a family member- that would be indescribable. So he broke off all ties- or tried to. The little girl would skip around happily. Rebekah finally making a connection with the child, cared for her and assured the family that she was well looked after. Elijah, through Rebekah’s endless whining, taught Elena basic skills such as reading and writing.

Klaus, on the other hand, cooped himself up in his room, pretending not to hear the young girls magical laugh. Ignoring the warmth that overtook him with each word she said. He ignored her calls for him as she knocked on the impenetrable door.

He felt almost as guilty ignoring her as he did when he imagined draining the poor girl of her blood. It was a means to an end and he could do the ritual as soon as the moonstone was in his possession, although he knew that would be a long time. For the time being, he could bear the child's insistent knocking and calls for him until she was an age in which the ritual could go through.

Until November, only two months later, when he finally revealed himself under the light of the sun. Before, he had only appeared under the moon’s rays, when Elena herself was asleep. Elena, when he saw him, was delighted- more than delighted, ecstatic.

‘Klausy!’ She screamed, running at him with open arms. ‘My Mad Hatter has come back!’ She wrapped herself around his leg, no tall enough to reach any higher.

‘Hello, my little Elena.’ He whispered, shaking her off gently. ‘I have business to do.’ He addressed his family before walking out without another word.

‘Wait!’ Elena called out. ‘Please don't leave me, Klausy.’ Klaus’ heart melted at her words but he put on a stoic façade before walking away, ignoring the tears brimming in the young child's eyes.

As soon as the door was slammed shut, Elena let the tears roll whilst Klaus went to do the one thing he was good at- to bite and kill.

The bar of only humans was just out of the quarter as he was careful not to piss off the witches once again, his rational side was still intact- if it existed.

He pushed open the doors of the horribly fake western bar and strutted in, showing off his power as soon as he stepped in. His eyes burned and his fangs extended and he was ready- ready to kill.

This was his nature was it not? He questioned himself, hating how the girl had got under his skin.

He ignored the nagging voice in his head and began to feed. The bar was busy, at least thirty people we inside. By the end, twenty lay with a lack of a heart. The rest, drained of blood- pale as ghosts.

Klaus smiled to himself, proud of his work. All we innocent.

Elena.

He hated his own mind, he just murdered thirty people and was thinking of Elena. A blood bag walking around his own home. Yet, she wasn’t. No matter how he pretended, his own spoiled mind made him think of her.

He didn’t even dare say her name, it sent him over the edge: the edge of reason. He howled into his night, his vampiric form apparent as he thirsted for the little blood left in the petty human’s luscious veins. His fangs extended at the thought of blood. Although over the years, he had controlled the bloodlust- he no longer wanted to.

And, he had one more person on his list to kill.

Even if it meant that he would have to wait another 500 years.

All to become unattached.

He was going to drain her of blood.

It wasn’t a mistake he told himself. He knew the regrets would come later but for now, he was on a mission. No one could stop him now. No one could overpower him now. Not even his noble siblings.

He was going to kill Elena.

 


	3. Chapter 3

**3.**

How To Lose A Child

 

Klaus stumbled through empty streets, searching for the house through his drunken state. As an original, it didn't exactly intoxicate him- it just brought him down to vampire level, a normal one at that. But, that was enough to make him weak.

He didn't care.

He had one task and that was to kill Elena.

Although, he was unlikely to succeed. Klaus, behind all his walls, cared too much for the young girl. It felt like history had repeated itself- Katherine was beautiful, he cared for her- enough to let her live. She thought he was good at running, little did she know he did have compassion; it was hidden deep but he held it dear, it was the last thing that gave him hope that he wasn’t his father. He would never become his father. But, he was far too close for comfort.

Klaus paused, the mansion was in his view- one run and he could have his hand around her neck.  He would take her life, he wouldn’t care but then, he’d never be a hybrid. He would be stuck in his monster form, an original vampire: no stronger than his own siblings- no matter how many times he daggered them.

His eyes were adjusting to the blur of the alcohol, faces became clear, as did his brother’s. ‘Elijah.’ He groaned.

‘Brother.’ He answered, stoically- not surprised his brother was drunk at this ungodly hour. ‘How was your business?’ He asked slyly, knowing his ‘business’ was nothing more than a drinking parade in a local bar.

‘It was great, brother.’ He spat, skimming past him but was held back by a strong hand- Rebekah.

‘And where do you think you’re going, brother? I don’t think it’s safe for you to go home whilst muttering.’ She paused and took a breath before imitating Klaus the best she could. ‘Kill…kill…kill…must…kill… Elena. You know Nik, I’ve actually really enjoyed looking after this little girl and you need her for the ritual so no, you will not kill her.’ Klaus was astounded, how did they know?

He had outsmarted them every time. But, for once, he was too drunk to think. This time, he was one drink too many. He was off guard and the paranoia set in.

‘She deserves to die.’ He grit his teeth, baring them to his siblings. They didn’t move an inch. Instead, they took a step towards him, each grabbing an arm each. They faced there brother, calm and composed. ‘You care.’ Elijah began, ready for an outburst- he was just greeted with Klaus’ fangs growing to an unthinkable length.

‘I do not care, Elijah!’ He spat. ‘The little girl is a nuisance, I will take the next bloody doppelganger and rip her throat out when needed.’ He lied, they all knew, it was no secret that his reasoning made no sense. Nothing was more important than his ritual but, if he cared for this girl, the ritual would be over- he couldn’t have that.

‘Klaus. You need to calm down, the paranoia is getting to you again. Just come back with us, to her. Let her in- nothing will change whether you kill her or let yourself care. We all know that the ritual will now be delayed. This is a chance to redeem yourself, Nik, do it for us- always and forever.’ Rebekah gently released his arm throughout her speech, followed willingly by Elijah. They wanted to trust their brother but there were pasts were rocky. Both were only recently freed from their coffin, neither of them knew why- although they were both glad.

‘I don’t want to care.’ He looked pathetic. The strong, brave Klaus stared longingly at the ground as if he wanted it to eat him whole, though he knew, even with magic, that wasn’t possible.

‘Redeem us, Nik. We have lived for a thousand years- it’s time to do a good deed.’ She smiled before muttering, ‘though you did kidnap her, we’ll just ignore that.’

Klaus returned his gaze to the desolate street around them and complied with a simple smile. ‘I guess I need to talk to Elena then.’ He returned to his egotistical self and led the group home. He was still shaky on his feet but was confident his siblings would protect him, he just wanted Elena back. Watching her from the shadows was no way to show his affection, he would care to the child like she was his daughter- and so she would become. That didn’t mean Klaus would change, he promised himself that. But, it was a chance for him to show the world he wasn’t just the bad guy- the big bad wolf as his father had said.

Klaus pushed open the front gate of the enormous, traditional house. ‘Elena!’ He called out. Immediately, his leg was encased by flesh and gorgeous brown hair. She was adorable and not even the king of evil himself could deny that. She looked up at him with large eyes and asked ‘are you really back, Klausy?’ He smiled down to her and nodded hesitantly. He didn’t want to let her down but he wasn’t sure he could truly commit to any promises- a nod would suffice.

The little girl threw her arms up, expecting a hug- which he gladly gave -whilst the other Mikaelson siblings went to their own sections of their home, smiling at their accomplishments. Klaus and Elena stayed put but went to sit on a sofa in the entrance hall. Klaus brought the little girl onto his lap, wrapping his arms around her tiny waist. ‘So, little girl, what have I missed?’ He whispered into his ear and she giggled quietly until she went into an extensive explanation- well as much as someone her age could –about her life until that point. It seemed Rebekah had taken on the mother status whilst Elijah had remained a teacher, leaving an open father spot- one they hoped Klaus would take. Although, Elijah was only a teacher, Klaus felt a pang of jealousy as Elena talked about him with such awe. One day, he would get her to talk about him like that, unknowing that she already did.

They talked until the sun had risen and the little girl had fallen asleep on his lap, he didn’t mind. He brought her into his arms and brought her bedroom before tucking her into bed and lightly kissing her on the forehead and saying goodnight.

For once in his immortal life, he felt happy- or as happy as he could be.

***

Klaus woke up to a weight on his chest, barely noticeable if he were not asleep before. ‘What the bloody hell is it!’ He sat up, clearing his vision to see a wide-eyed, smiling girl.

‘Uncle ‘Lijah said we could go out today! He said that you were in a bad mood and needed help.’ She pouted at the end, wrapping her arms around Klaus who just smiled fondly at her. He was still contemplating his feelings and couldn’t believe how deeply he had fallen for his kidnap victims within such a short time.

‘Elijah!’ He called out, waiting for his brother to stride into the room, his usual suit in perfect form.

‘What do you need, brother?’ He asked patiently, ignoring Klaus’ wide, angered eyes.

‘Go out! We can't let Elena out! She's to stay here by my order!’ He roared, finally getting up from his bed, not caring that his chest was bare and his pyjama pants tight.

‘But Klaus!’ Elijah warned, not daring to shout at his elder brother. ‘A girl needs her time outside the house. She cannot be housebound! This house is far out of the city enough as it is! The town is not far by car; can she not have just one day from this hellish place!’ Elijah argued, his voice raising just a volume louder.

Klaus just shook his head, no matter how much he tried, paranoia was one of his most well-known traits and this wasn’t an instance where he could just shake it off.

‘Elena will remain here until further notice.’ Klaus stated, sounding almost militaristic. Elijah sighed whilst Elena looked up at him with tears lining her cheeks.

‘But, Klausy-’ She was interrupted by Klaus before being able to even finish her sentence.

‘You will stay here!’ He roared, his eyes flashing amber, glowing in the dimly lit room. Elena backed away, huddling up by Elijah who had his usual disapproving look plastered on his face.

‘Come on, Elena, let’s go.’ Elijah ushered her out, shooting one last disapproving look at Klaus before following her out.

Klaus had made a mistake…again.

Though it wasn’t as if Klaus cared, he didn’t have time to think of the consequences of his actions, that only caused grief and for the number of people he killed, he simply couldn’t. He couldn’t afford to lose any more sanity than he already had, his mind stood on the line between sanity and insanity and one more step would leave him in an area of no return.

So, Klaus ignored Elena’s tear-filled eyes and got on with his day- not that there was much to do at all. It was mostly keeping in touch with his contacts, making sure there were no betrayers and making sure his enemies were far away as possible- it may have been an odd schedule but it wasn’t anything out of the ordinary.

He brought out his phone and started his short to-do list, taking his mind off of everything. It didn’t work for long and on his third phone call, he found himself pitying the girl and soon went on a search for her. Not to apologise, far from it, he needed to teach her why she couldn’t leave, that should fear her into staying put- she was his prisoner after all.

***

Elena was mad, to say the least. She was young but had learnt independence at an extremely young age as she was left to care for her brother whilst her parent’s worked from home, often too busy to even send a glance their way.

It stopped affecting Elena soon after it began; if they weren’t going to pay attention to her, she wouldn’t pay attention to them. Throwing a tantrum that someone her age often did, she had left the house in the beginning and ran to her best friend Bonnie’s house to seek refuge and ended up staying most nights. But, as Jeremy grew more aware and stopped being a baby, Elena began to stay home and make sure he wasn’t alone. It had created a close bond between them, one that would be hard to break.

She missed her brother but rarely mentioned him, especially to Klaus. She didn’t care much for her parents, she was mature for her age but she was still naïve to Klaus’ wrongdoing and assumed that Jeremy would soon be coming along causing her to never question Klaus. But, as the days went on, and Jeremy still hadn’t turned up, Elena felt a little pain inside.

That didn’t get any better when Klaus had refused her any look at the local town. Elena wanted freedom and she wasn’t being granted any. So, she was going to take it for herself.

She looked around, making sure to take quiet footsteps after finding out that her new parents seemed to have heard that was almost inhumane.

The doors opened effortlessly causing her to be able to sneak out undetected. She was sure if her parents were listening out for her, they would have called out for her but Elijah had left the house earlier alone and Rebekah was too busy staring in the mirror narcissistically to even think that Elena would attempt to leave. Klaus, she wasn’t too sure what he was doing apart from shouting which was probably one of the reasons she couldn’t be heard. Even without super hearing, Elena could hear his shouts from a mile away.

Elena ran outside, she was free…well, almost. The house was all she could see that wasn’t tall fir trees that cast shadows across the front porch, causing Elena to shiver at the sudden burst of cold.

She still wanted to run if she stayed any longer she would be caught and she would need time to get far enough- with her height and age it wasn’t as if she could run anything near being called fast.

But, she ran nonetheless, into the trees on her left. Within minutes, she was lost, all sense of direction was gone and she was left fearing the inhumane noises that surrounded her.

It started with a growl, then a grunt, then another growl…and something that sounded much, much worse. Footsteps.

None that were familiar though, these were heavy as if the person was carrying too much weight. A hunter trying to shoot deer perhaps? Elena couldn’t know, she wasn’t perceptive enough to realise what was going on around her.

All she knew was that she was lost…

And she sure as hell wanted Klaus back.

***

'Elijah!' Klaus roared, his voice echoing in the shadowed corridors. ‘Where is she!’ His voice rang out as clear as a bell as did his thumping footsteps, he glanced around the corner, averting his gaze to find Elijah. He sure as hell had heard someone else in the house and he knew for definite that Rebekah had left the home not minutes before.

‘Elijah, come out, now!’ He spoke, once again. This time, menacing, soft, dangerous. It was what Klaus was truly good at: trickery, mockery. Lure Elijah out with softness, not that it would work. Elijah was too clever for his own good and had learnt not to be lured out unless he had assessed the situation, so Klaus waited.

A mere thirty seconds later, Elijah appeared as if out of thin air and faced Klaus, his permanent tight-lipped scowl prominent on his face. It was present in the air that he was still mad at Klaus and had only not expressed his feelings out of pure fear and a new addition to the family, one which he was hoping to use.

‘Elena’s gone.’ Klaus spat, striding towards Elijah, who made no move to step away. Klaus leant his weight forward, his balance on the balls of his feet, and left his face only inches away from his brothers: ‘where did you put her?’ He grinned sardonically, expecting the answer to be instant but all he could see was a mild form of panic on his face. His brother’s eyes had widened by a fraction and his lips looked thinner than ever. His face had paled only visible to those with enhanced sight and his eyebrows furrowed as he did as he so often calculated his options.

‘Elijah. Where. Is. She.’ Klaus gritted his teeth, baring his fangs at his brother. He clenched his fists, letting them turn white under the pressure and breathed heavily as he tried to control his vampiric urges.

‘I don’t know, brother.’ His words caused Klaus take a step back. If Elijah’s face had not been enough of a warning, his words truly were. He didn’t know. Elijah was not the one to blame here, there was someone else. Or not, no one came near the house- he would have sensed it…unless he hadn’t.

Even though the original had sensitive hearing, maybe better than any other vampire, a child’s footsteps- if he wasn’t listening for them- could be easy to miss. Klaus left nothing to chance and he was rash, going for his first option, leaving no time to care whether it was a waste of his precious time.

‘Elijah, search the forest. Go West, I’m heading East.’ He ordered, leaving no time for Elijah to reason with him as he shot off at vampiric speed and headed East. Once again, he felt his hands clenching themselves into fists without him even being aware. Now, the veins under his eyes were prominent and he felt thirsty for revenge. It was perfectly reasonable that Elena had run off but Klaus, under a mirage of his paranoia, had clouded judgement and against his rational mind, he assumed only one thing- Elena had been taken.

If he could step back and look at the whole picture, he would have been able to see that Elena had run off for her own benefit, her own desire, but Klaus was blinded by the thought that Elena was too dumb, too inefficient by herself, to even contemplate that.

Klaus was wrong, so, so wrong. That was what made it all the worse when he finally found Elena huddled under a tree, alone, tears streaming like tsunamis down her cheeks.

‘Elena.’ He breathed, hesitantly bringing her to his chest, cradling her like the child she was. He felt at a loss, he had no experience with crying when it was an adult doing it, much less a child. He felt incapable of comforting her but apparently, his being seemed to calm her and soon her sobs had faded to just a few tear stains on her cheeks.

‘I’m so sorry.’ She cried out, burying her little face into his shoulder, covering the tattoo that was poking out of his shirt.

‘Sorry for what?’ He asked, naively, still unaware of the simple situation.

‘For running away.’ She cried again, a few lone tears spilling onto his V-neck shirt. He sighed, comprehending at last what had happened. Without a word he sent a quick message to Elijah, proving the child’s safety and got a relieved message in reply.

Klaus lifted Elena from the ground, keeping her cradled against his chest and her head laying peacefully on his shoulder. For now, she was calm and he hoped it would stay that way. He felt all anger flood from him just at the sight of her. Any thought of punishment had long been thrown out of the window.

‘Let’s go home. Shut your eyes for me, little one, don’t open them until I say so.’ He cooed into her shoulder, still unaware of his paternal affection for this young girl. She nodded, letting out a content sigh, closing her eyes shut and burying her face further into his shoulder.

He ran, at a speed unknown to man, towards the house and released Elena from his grasp and ordered her to open her eyes. She did as she was told and blinked a few times as she saw the house. Her eyes immediately lit up as reality set in and she could see the large, rustic-looking mansion standing proudly in front of her.

‘Come on, little one.’ Klaus encouraged, urging her towards the door.

‘Elena.’ Klaus heard, recognising Elijah’s voice from behind the door. ‘What were you thinking!’ He raised his voice just enough to let her know he was angry but still not enough to frighten her. ‘You can’t just run away like that!’ He leant down to reach her height and looked at her level in the eye. ‘Now go to your room and stay there until I say you can leave.’ He glared menacingly, looking like he forgot that he was punishing a five-year-old.

Klaus made a move to comfort her as she hung her head in shame and slowly wandered up the steps, her feet dragging behind her, but Elijah stopped him. Clutching his arm with an iron-grip even the famous Klaus Mikaelson could escape from without struggle. Klaus shook the grip off but it remained as tight as before.

‘What are you doing, Elijah?’ He spat, trying to release his arm once again- Elijah wasn’t going to let him leave, though.

‘Stopping you. You’ve already gone soft, Klaus. A child needs to punished, I thought you knew that.’ He looked down on his brother patronisingly as if he knew better than Klaus did. In fact, he did. Elijah wasn’t clueless. Klaus may have already raised a son but it was Elijah who had educated him, punished him, trained him all whilst Klaus became friends with the boy and he could see it happening all over again.

Klaus was letting his weaknesses show and Elijah couldn’t allow that. Klaus was invincible but that didn’t protect him from harm and no matter how much Elijah despised Klaus, forever and always was never to be forgotten.

 


	4. Chapter 4

**4.**

How To Celebrate A Birthday

 

Stefan had finally arrived back in Mystic Falls, he felt at home. Last time he had come, it was three years ago. That was when he had seen the young Doppelgänger only aged around two-years-old.

When he arrived again, this wasn't what he expected to see. The house, charred and black but…only where Elena’s room was.

He gazed from the neighbour's roof with a heavy sense of dread in his stomach.

Already, he was in denial. That child would be the key to finding Katherine. He still wanted vengeance and he would do anything for it so, he would carry on to believe Elena was alive and he would find her and he would get Katherine out and slit her throat before protruding her heart with one of his finest wooden stakes, or maybe she didn't even deserve that.

Stefan was being wary and for a hundred years had still been unable to find her. Damon hadn't either, not that they were helping each other. In fact, they were looking for her for the opposite of reasons.

Stefan, forgetting about Damon's current presence in only a few states over from where he was, continued to investigate the house.

The police seemed to deem it as a horrible accident, probably caused by a candle of some sort but with Stefan's superior vision, even from where he was standing, could see the wasn't true.

Out of what remained of the room, there was a clear burn mark towards the middle of the floor where a match was put. On purpose or not, it didn't matter.

He was also observant enough to see that the corpse was obviously not Elena. For one, it was decayed as if it had been in a grave for a least a couple years and the size, of what he presumed her five-year-old self would have, is nothing near what Elena would be.

Stefan was suspicious. Elena was alive, he knew it, but that sense of dread in his stomach only heightened. Where could she be?

***

‘Klaus!’ Elijah called out, knocking on the door, trying to calm his brother before he received another dagger in his heart.  


‘Klaus! Open the door!’ He called out, controlling his anger to come out almost monotonously. He earned a muffled reply of ‘go away,’ and then a smash which Elijah could only assume was another glass.

‘Klaus, stop having a tantrum!’ Elijah called out, his anger seeping out.

‘Let me see Elena.’ Klaus growled in reply.

‘Klaus, do you not remember what she's here for?’ The door slammed open and Klaus stood there, his hair on his face and his eyes red in frustration.

‘I do remember, Elijah.’ He spat out, clutching the door, the wood splintering under his grasp. ‘I just don’t see why I should have to listen to that child cry!’ His grip tightened and the part of the door he had grasped was no more than dust, his nails now digging into his own hand.

‘Klaus, I know you care-‘ He was immediately cut off as Klaus’ fangs came out. He took a step towards Elijah, his breath hitting his face.

‘I don’t care. She’s annoying me. A young girl can’t persuade me not to free my werewolf side. You know that. Now leave and get out of my sight unless you want another dagger in your heart.’ He spat out, his fangs retracting and pushing Elijah away, who quickly dismissed himself. Klaus slammed the door and cried out in frustration, throwing yet another glass at the floor. He stamped on the glass, blood pouring from his feet but the cuts quickly healing and the pain barely noticeably.

‘Stop caring. Stop caring.’ He hissed, repeating it over and over and over. He cared, that much was clear. He was just a god puppet controlled by the monster pulling strings but he had snapped those strings only to find out he was a monster in himself.

He loved this girl like it was his own daughter but he was still going to kill her. He cared about her…but he would kill her. He wanted her to lead her a prosperous life…but he would be the one to kill her. He wanted to watch her grow…but he would kill her before she even had the chance.

He would kill her, that was much more clear.

He was greedy and selfish and even Elena couldn’t stop him. He was a monster, a monster built over a thousand years with walls as strong as obsidian surrounding his heart. He hated himself but he hated others more. He loved strongly but dismissed it as if it was a mere pest. His anger ruled over him, letting him believe that forcing his siblings into eternal sleep had kept the promise of ‘always and forever’.

Klaus cried out again. ‘Why, why, why!’ He snapped and threw his fist at the window, letting the glass fly towards the ground, hitting it with a satisfying crunch…but not satisfying enough.

Klaus sat on the windowsill, staring down and jumped. He was merely two floors up and hit the ground as light as a feather and began to run. Run far and fast. Through the trees and over grass, a blur to all passers-by, until he reached the wolf den. He had found it abandoned a mere decade ago and it felt somewhat like a second home. A home no one knew of, a home that could just be his, a home that reminded him who he was and what he was aiming before.

He wished to be a wolf in that moment, to be free. But, he couldn’t. For that, Elena would have to be dead along with a fellow vampire and a fellow werewolf. The ceremony was still far from ready and even Klaus wasn’t sure if it was the best idea.

His enemies wouldn’t just grow they would accumulate like bacteria until the whole world was against him but, he would also be the strongest being to have ever walked this earth. Wasn’t that his true aim? Power. He wanted power and he would pay anything to get it.

Could he pay Elena, though? In that moment of doubt he decided, he would care, if only for the sakes of not torturing himself. He could distance himself later on (as if that would work).

It didn’t matter as long as he wasn’t isolated, alone. He may have wanted power but he was so much more afraid of something else: being alone for eternity.

***

Elena was turning seven-years-old and it seemed that she couldn’t be more excited. She was with Rebekah who had bought her a ball gown for the special occasion. Of course, the turnout would be minimal. Elijah, Klaus, Rebekah and Klaus would be there and that would be it and although Klaus did contemplate un-daggering a few more siblings, it seemed irresponsible to have two brothers who wanted to kill him out on the little girl’s birthday.

It was clear now that Klaus had given up and really had let the girl into his heart without her own knowledge. He still knew he had to kill her but it didn’t seem as bad when, for now, he could care for her as if she was his own.

He still planned on going through the ritual, whether it killed her or not, but he did have minions searching for revival potions and Elijah getting in contacts with the people he knew to obtain the vile of potion he had offered to give Katerina.

It seemed trivial that he would keep the girl alive but he was the one, along with his siblings, who would raise her and he would raise her well. It seemed a waste if she was just going to die at the end of it, whether it was for his own gain or not.

Still, if the potion could not be brought, he would have to kill Elena. His curse was more important than the doppelganger and that was the bare truth.

Back to where Elena and Rebekah were getting ready, it seemed that the finishing touches were being made and she really was going to be the princess she dreamed to be.

She still had not gotten over her Alice in Wonderland obsession, though she now saw Rebekah as the white queen not the red, and had based her party off of the Mad Hatter’s tea party.

Rebekah, following the theme, had worn a simple white, floor-length dress whilst Elena had a beautiful, layered blue ball gown with white fabric hand sewn into it by Rebekah to represent the apron.

Klaus and Elijah, unfortunately, were not as happy to dress up but nonetheless, Klaus put on a top hat with a card writing ‘10/6’ on it and Elijah wore a lab coat to represent the men in the asylum due to a fear of being forced to dress up as the rabbit if he could not think of another sane character.

They were now both ready and dressed, waiting in the parlour for Elena to finally make her grand entrance. Rebekah was the first down, leading the way before stopping herself and holding a hand out for the princess behind her.

Finally, after a day of not seeing a glimpse of her, she was revealed to the boys and they were stunned, to say the least. She was only seven and yet she came across as an elegant adult. Her mature nature and poised posture could pass her as older than a teenager and overlooking her size, she wasn’t juvenile enough to be seven. That did not change the fact that this was her seventh birthday party and despite the small number of guests, they would make it the best party a seven-year-old could dream of.

In the rather large house, they had decorated the whole parlour with blue and white ribbons along with hundreds of balloons and of course, the largest chocolate cake you could imagine- though still delicate looking at the layers of fondant covering the entire four tier article.

Elena squealed just looking at it, it was beautiful. Ribbons matching the ones on the walls were wrapped delicately around the fondant and on the top was a small figurine of Elena herself.

‘Who made this?’ She asked, wide-eyed in amazement.

‘I did. The figurine and all.’ Klaus piped up smiling and let Elena fall into his arms, squeezing him tight- although she still only did make it up to his hips.

‘Thank you, thank you, thank you!’ She shouted out, overjoyed. The other siblings watched and smiled at the scene, watching there brother smile as he did so often lately.

His siblings wanted so badly to be mad at him but they just couldn't, not when he smiled like that, not when he acted just like he was in his youth.

It was fine now, anyway, his siblings had forgiven him a year or two ago, seeing their brother give remorse after what felt like too long. Well, it could barely be called remorse but it was the first time he had even muttered the words sorry even if Elena was mouthing it to him whilst pulling on his trouser leg. Despite his reluctance, they knew he meant it, he wouldn't say it if he didn't, he wasn't that kind of man.

Elena finally let go of Klaus and smiled up at him, going on her tippy toes as if to reach his height, which she definitely could not compete with.

‘Anything for you, little one.’ They smiled at each other when Klaus grabbed the knife, the feeling odd in his hand when it wasn't being used for non PC purposes, and brought Elena's hand to his, cutting it like a wedding cake.

Elena immediately grabbed the slice and stuffed in her mouth making both Rebekah and Klaus laughed. Elijah remained impassive but crossed his arms and let his mouth curve into the smallest smile. ‘I thought I taught you manners, Elena.’ He commented, finally letting his lips curve into a smile.

She giggled and swallowed even though the piece should have been enough to last minutes.

‘Thank you. This is the best party ever!’ She addressed the room, her smile growing even bigger.

The room grew silent as if they were unsure of what to do but they all nodded in acknowledgment and continued the party, the whole family happy- that's all they really wanted.

Always and forever.

That was their promise and they would keep it, whether there were more or less of them. It could definitely be said that there was one more Mikaelson, Elena.

***

Stefan was close, he could sense it. Now, on a bright day in Europe he had got in contact with a local vampire who could only mention in passing that a man with blonde hair, average height, and rather strong had passed through the town to get to a private jet, following him- a small brown haired girl, fast asleep and unaware of what was going on around her.  


Stefan couldn’t believe his luck. Despite how vague the statement was, his instinct- or his desperation- told him that this was a lead, unlike the other thirty-six leads he had followed.

He pulled out his phone, fumbling around with the numbers and finally came up with Damons number. He was unwilling to help and Stefan was unwilling to cooperate with him but he would be an asset nonetheless, as enemies or as brothers.

‘Damon?’ He called through the phone. Met by a muffled yes, he explained the situation to which Damon stated he would meet Stefan, he wanted the doppelganger too. Stefan hung up swiftly, heading towards the small airport on the coast of the old town. He had a lead, now all he had to do was find where that plane flew to. 


	5. Chapter 5

**5.**

How To Raise A Child

 

It was an overcast day, a layer of clouds lining the dull sky- not unusual for England. Elena’s mood, despite the weather, was rather joyous and she couldn’t help but giggle and squirm in her car seat as Klaus drove them, alone, to the local lake at a time where they were most likely to be alone.

It could be stated that it is irresponsible to bring an eight-year-old to a lake at one in the morning but as a nocturnal creature and also not a parent, Klaus nor Elena cared. Elena had slept during the morning just to have the energy to come as Klaus suggested the idea, still unwilling to take Elena out to a public space when it was bustling with people.

So, they arrived at the lake. It was beautiful. It was a rich blue, the light from the moon and stars created an abstract painting on its surface. The depth, a black paradox that could only be compared to the sea.

The lake in its entirety was surrounded by tall pine trees, each on at least twenty metres or more, causing prominent shadows to settle across the entire strip of grass surrounding the circular lake. It only made the lake itself bolder, shining out like a beacon from the shadows. Elena had stopped, much to Klaus’ confusion, to simply look at it all.

Klaus, at his age, was unfazed by the beauty. He had become immune to it as if it were a disease, losing his artist’s eye.

Elena broke from her trance, bringing her attention to Klaus. ‘It’s beautiful!’ She squealed out, filling the silence with a warm atmosphere. On short legs, she ran to Klaus wrapping her frail arms around his waist. He looked down at her, unable to move for just a second before embracing her warmly.

He had missed this, them. Lately, he hadn’t the time to be with Elena. The trip had gone as planned; Elena was smiling- that was all Klaus wanted. It seemed to have become his goal in life- simply to see that smile.

It was as if her smile was his light that he clung onto as the darkness seeped in. A thousand years would do that to a man, let the darkness seep into even the most innocent of men. Greed was a powerful emotion and it seemed, even if Elena was his light, that he was beginning to long for that smile and he would do anything for that smile, he was greedy for the smile.

Forgetting that Elena was human, Klaus asked ‘do you want to swim, Elena?’ She shook her head, looking at Klaus with wide eyes.

‘It’s so cold!’ She shouted out, staring at the water with fear in her eyes. Klaus laughed it off nervously.

‘I was joking…’ his voice turned monotone, he just had to ruin it didn’t he. Elena wrapped her arms around him.

‘You’re warm, though.’ She smiled and his lips quirked up in return. Pulling her off suddenly he fell back into the grass, Elena following suit. She giggled and jumped onto Klaus’ lap. ‘You’re the best daddy ever!’ She called out. Klaus paused. She had called him many nicknames but never had she ever called him daddy…or even dad for that matter.

Klaus ignored it and smiled, ‘and you are the best daughter.’ That moment was the turning point of it all, really. All the confidence in himself drained out of him. He would never be able to slaughter his own daughter, adopted or not, it was still his daughter.

He sighed, gritting his teeth and wrapping his arms around the small girl, resting his head atop of hers. ‘I love you.’ He murmured. She giggled, looking up at him.

‘I love you too, daddy.’ Despite the fear pumping through his veins, that moment would be one of the happiest of his entire life. He loved this girl, this girl was his daughter…or something more. He couldn’t tell. Surely, he loved her as a daughter- she was only eight after all. This love, this wasn’t romantic nor was it familial. This was something else entirely. It was a seed, something to be planted and revealed when the person had served their time.

Klaus pushed Elena’ hair behind her ears. ‘Look!’ Elena called out as Klaus fiddled with the small strand of hair caught between his fingers. Klaus followed the order and saw something he had not seen in a long time, a shooting star.

He couldn’t help but laugh at how stereotypical it was and pondered how Elena’ human eyes had even caught the star at the speed it was going. ‘Make a wish.’ He whispered in a hush voice as if it were a secret. She nodded and shut her eyes tight, scrunching up her face in a way that could only be adorable when a child did it.

‘You made it?’ He asked, letting the hair between his fingers fall back in place. She nodded gleefully and rested her back on Klaus’ chest.

‘And I’m hoping it will come true.’

***

Stefan found himself in London two years later after searching much of western Europe and Northern England. He had scoured and come up blank for any signs of the little girl.

Of course, even with Damon at his side, this was a slow process and finding a little girl- who had rather generic features when describing them- who had been kidnapped a few years previous.

Stefan had a lack of information. He knew that someone powerful had taken her, the family's lack of knowledge that this was not an accident proved that, along with the fact that Elena seemed to have left this world altogether.

Stefan, making his way down Oxford Street, pulled his phone out and dialled his brother’s numbers. He had just found another dead end but he knew they were getting closer. They were definitely getting closer.

***

Klaus’ fists were clenched as was his jaw. His eyes were flaming as he smashed his fist down on the ebony wood of his desk. He cried out as Elijah entered the room, a look of panic masking his usually impassive features.

‘Klaus?’ Elijah couldn’t say anymore as a glass was thrown in his direction, smashing on the wall just by his head. He craned his neck to see a dent in the wall behind him and he had learnt that it was best to stay distant and silent.

Elijah, already being in the room, was about to become a punching bag and he knew it. He readied himself as Klaus’ fangs protruded from his gums, a sign of pure rage. Klaus grabbed another glass and threw it at the same spot.

‘I had it! I had the bloody moonstone and they bloody took it!’ He roared, throwing another two glasses, these two landing not far from Elijah’s legs.

Elijah could feel a piece of glass sticking into his calf but made no move to take it out, fearing moving would only lead to a glass landing on his head. A scar, no matter how quickly it healed, was always hard to explain. It took a lot to scar an original but it seemed Klaus often had the power to do it.

Elijah only hoped that Elena could not hear. She was becoming more aware of her surroundings, now being ten-years-old, and there was no doubt that she would investigate if she heard.

‘Please calm down, Klaus.’ Elijah panicked, raising his arms in front of him to protect himself. Klaus’ fangs grew longer as he approached Elijah, stalking as if he were a predator to its prey.

In that moment, the door creaked open and there stood Elena, dressed in her pyjamas and a look of terror on her face. She could see what was happening. She saw Elijah’s calm façade break and Klaus’ ignorance to her existence at all.

‘Get out!’ Klaus screamed, still aiming himself at Elijah but his senses still detecting another person present in the room, despite not knowing who it was.

‘No.’ Elena stood her ground, unknowing of just how strong Klaus was. She had no idea just who had taken her. She had no idea of supernatural as a whole. She had never believed, even when it came to those childish fantasies of Santa and the Tooth Fairy.

Klaus, somewhere deep inside his mind, recognised that voice but made no move to check. ‘Get out, get out, get out!’ He screamed, his eyes flaring as he grasped for another glass throwing it at the door, only missing Elena due to her still petite stature and height.

‘Klaus stop it! Please!’ Klaus’ head swerved to meet eyes with the young girl at the door and it all came dawning on him. Elijah let out a breath and swiftly left the room, tempted to drag Elena with him but knew Klaus would not her, not now at least.

Klaus’ eyes widened and he fell to his knees. His eyes remained as they were, his body remained still as broken glass pieces dug into his legs.

‘You’re hurt!’ Elena called out, approaching him but Klaus put a hand up to stop her.

‘I’m fine. I heal fast.’ Little did she know just how fast that was until Klaus stood up again, his body freeing itself of its self-inflicted paralysis. His leg’s strained as he limped over to the pair of pliers he kept on his desk.

He stuck it in his leg, the blood spilling out, not caring at this point that a ten-year-old was watching. She gasped and went to help again, not fearing the blood, but he held up another hand. ‘I’ll explain, just let me take these out.’

Five minutes later, the pieces were out and Klaus had fallen back into his office chair, watching Elena’s face cautiously as she stared at the blood-stained floorboards she was standing on.

‘What are you?’ She whispered, more to herself than Klaus.

‘I’m a vampire.’ He lost all nicknames and just left the end of his sentences hanging. He didn’t want to see how Elena would react but it certainly wasn’t what he thought it would be. She stared at him with amazement, not fear.

She had once called them vampires as entertainment to her own young mind, never did she think that she would be correct.

‘We’re the original vampires, to be exact. The oldest there are.’ Elena took a few steps towards Klaus, who still looked withdrawn and scared, and hugged him.

‘You’re the coolest daddy I could ever wish for.’ Klaus laughed at that. He had laughed a lot lately, as he did with smiles.

‘How are you not afraid? I’m over a thousand-years-old, Elena. You should be scared.’ She shook her head and looked up to him.

‘You’re my daddy. Even then you didn’t hurt me. You would never hurt me. All a thousand-years means is that you are very, very clever.’ She giggled childishly, holding her gaze with his. He smiled as did she and they simply sat in a comfortable silence.

Klaus didn’t understand but he didn’t need to. As long as Elena was happy, he was happy to not understand. He hated being confused but he had learnt to control his urge to find the truth with Elena because he knew he would never understand her emotions- or anyone’s emotions- so he let his thoughts be and simply enjoyed the moment.

This was all he had wanted, to be accepted. He had finally been accepted.

***

Klaus and Elena, who was now eleven, sat in the living room together staring mindlessly at the screen. Some violent cartoon was on, which Klaus seemed more invested in than Elena, that was quite good for learning some classic vampire techniques.

Klaus laughed at Elena’s distorted face, thinking that an eleven-year-old should be more immune to gore like this, especially knowing he’s a vampire- a strong one at that. Elena, on the other hand, wasn’t even staring at the TV. Of course, every time an eyeball had been pulled out she did flinch but ignoring the exception, she was thinking.

She was thinking about a lot of things but it seemed to focus on one subject: her brother. She didn’t remember much of her old family but despite not caring much for her parents as a usual five-year-old does, she cared a lot for her brother and she missed him deeply.

Images of him flashed in her mind as she wondered what, now nine-years-old, Jeremy would look like. She could see his messy hair and the colour of his eyes that weren’t so far from hers.

She wished that her brother would return. She loved her new family but she couldn’t forget her old life entirely. She knew something was wrong and that this arrangement wasn’t consensual. She had heard of kidnap before but she had never thought she would experience it.

She had never seen herself on the news and it made her curious what had happened at home. She had never thought of it before now and she couldn’t seem to understand why. A family was as important as anything in one’s life, maybe more, but somehow, she had managed to forget it all.

She felt much more like an adopted child than a kidnapped one. Nothing bad had happened to her, had it? ‘Klaus…’ she whispered, drawing his attention from the TV ‘…what happened to bringing my brother with us.’ She was timid, nervous, and she couldn’t hide the tremble in her voice as she spoke.

She was a brave child but she was still eleven and there was no way a child of her age, especially as they had only gone to school for a year and had little to no friends, to know much about the world around her.

Klaus’ jaw clamped down and he could feel himself becoming irate already. He hated how the little girl brought up her brother. He had taken this child for a ritual and had managed to persuade her whole family of her death…yet he had done nothing to the

‘Elena, I didn’t want to tell you this…’ he paused, taking in a breath, hating the severe lie he was about to tell her. ‘Your brother died not long ago.’ He shut his eyes, looking in pain. Elena could only assume that he mourned her brother to- he cared just as much about him as he did her, did he not?

It was worthy of a laugh at the irony of the situation. Klaus had never met her brother nor had he ever cared about her brother. He wasn’t in agony over his death but the lie he had forced upon a child.

He had just told a child that he brother- who was still alive –was dead. The guilt bore over him, heavier than anything had before. He had lived a thousand years and it seemed just seconds after he told this lie, which was so small in comparison to some he has said, he wouldn’t be able to keep it up.

But he did, for his sake. He cared about this care too much to put into words but Klaus would always care about himself more- most people would. People put others behind them not out of selfishness but out of fear. It is a human being’s – a vampire’s too – natural instinct to survive and that means that they themselves come above all.

It weighed him down like a ton of bricks were on his back when that first tear spilt. He wanted to wrap her in his arms but he couldn’t help but feel he should leave her. He had just told her some of the most devastating news of her life. How would he be compensation for a loved one’s death?

He didn’t know just how much she needed him in that moment until she clambered into his lap and wrapped her arms around his waist. ‘I can’t believe it. I loved him.’ She choked out, her tears staining Klaus’ shirt.

‘I know you did, love, I know you did.’ He soothed, rubbing her back, trying to keep the strain from reaching his voice. Not once that night did he ever tell her that he was upset too nor did he show any care for Jeremy but Elena didn’t care, didn’t even notice.

Klaus was giving Elena the comfort she craved so often now. Elena had no other friends, hardly any other family and she needed the attention. She wasn’t seeking it but she was alone in this house and Klaus simply sitting with her and soothing her sent a smile to her face even through the dark times.

‘I love you, Klaus. Just as I loved him.’ She murmured, a smile creeping its way onto Klaus’ face. Klaus too was ashamed to smile at such a time but it didn’t matter. Elena loved him, as much as her brother. It meant the world to Klaus and he wouldn’t forget that line.

Klaus hated that he let Elena in but in times like those, he didn’t care. Klaus was selfish and wanted Elena, he wanted the love that Elena gave him. He knew that as she got older that this would become harder but he enjoyed the moment, as he had done all his life.

There was no point in focusing on the future or the past when you live for so many centuries. Klaus had always enjoyed the moment and he could tell that the ones with Elena would stick in his memory forever.

And for him, forever was a very, very long time.

 

 


	6. Chapter 6

**6.**

How To Leave A Child At School

 

‘Elena! Can you come down?’ Elijah called from the parlour, spreading the books apart that were already sitting on the coffee table. Elijah, per Klaus’ request, was to teach Elena reading and writing. Of course, Elena could already do that but for a twelve-year-old, she was rather lacking. She read a lot, that was a bonus, but due to her lack of education, she had stuck to the easy ones and never tried any complicated literature that Klaus would prefer she read.

‘Coming!’ Elena called, rushing down the stairs, wearing a floor-length summer dress. It was warm outside and Elena was beginning to enjoy the extravagant clothing she was being given. Although what she was wearing was rather simple, it still displayed elegance and grace.

‘Are you ready?’ Elijah asked, standing and smoothing his suit out. She nodded and fell onto the sofa next to where Elijah was once sat. Elijah simply went to grab another book off the shelf and placed it on the table before sitting back in his original seat on the leather couch.

‘Let’s begin then.’ Elijah smiled warmly at Elena, it was a smile he would only show Elena, and began a simple lesson on vocabulary. It lasted only half an hour before both of them were tired and Elena had learned more than any child would normally in a week of English courses.

Elijah had learnt a lot over the years. English was one of them but so was teaching and it could be said that when you reach a thousand-years-old and you still have your patience, you really are the perfect teacher.

‘Thank you, Elijah!’ Elena smiled, rushing back up the stairs and into her room where she would begin reading her new, slightly harder, novel on her balcony.

‘Elena, wait!’ It was a familiar voice calling her, not Elijah but Klaus. She smiled brightly, turning to the man that was starting to not seem so tall in comparison. ‘I thought that if Elijah was to teach you English, I would cover some other subjects.’ Klaus smiled one of those rare days and Elena was glad to see that everyone was happy in the house today. It wasn’t very often, sadly.

Klaus led her to the art studio and Elena couldn’t calm the buzz running through her. She had very rarely seen the art studio and she had never really gotten the chance to look at her father’s- actually not her father’s- paintings.

It was disappointing, Elena, whilst growing up, had stopped seeing Klaus as a father but a brother. Elijah worked in the strict father role as she and Klaus were more friends than anything. Although, they did have the sibling-like arguments. Rebekah worked hard to be like a mother to Elena but was often out of the house but when she did come back, she loved Elena like the child she never had.

Klaus opened the door to reveal the brightly coloured art studio. Of all the rooms, it was the brightest- and most beautiful. Nothing could compare to a thousand years of practice and some natural born talent.

The paintings were the best Elena had ever seen and she couldn’t help but stare in awe at the framed ones lining the walls. ‘I chose these ones!’ She exclaimed, motioning to all the framed ones. Klaus nodded, seemingly impassive to the subject.

‘I want to be able to draw like you!’ She squealed, running her hands across the wall, following the paintings one by one. Elena, unfortunately, had more of a knack for writing and reading than she did art but she would give it a go nonetheless.

The problem was more so Klaus’ temper. Klaus would never hurt Elena or blow up at her since the incident when she was ten but he did struggle to keep himself under control and would end up fleeing the room if it was too much. Unfortunately, teaching took a lot of patience that he didn’t have. He tried his best, though, and for this session alone it was enough.

He sat Elena on the stool and grabbed a brush, putting it in her hand and taking her through the basics of colour and simple outlines of faces, flowers and even a few landscapes. Elena enjoyed the whole experience but it was clear she didn’t have an eye for the subject.

Elena’s drawings came out messy and ugly but simply the time together made neither care. It was also best not to be better at Klaus at something- he didn’t take it lightly.

The session was finished after two hours of splatting paint onto the canvas and Elena left with a large grin on her face. The girl’s dress was now tainted with reds and blues, a few dots of green running down one side but aside from the ruined dress, her day had been perfect.

Elena was becoming aware of her surroundings but she was closed off, making her more naïve than she would have ever been if she had grown up normally. She still did not understand the concept that she had been stolen away nor could she ever see through the lie that her brother was dead.

She still mourned her brother but learned to live her life to the full and Klaus was helping her every step of the way. Despite Klaus’ lack of will to give Elena any answers, he fulfilled all requests that she had.

Her room could only be described as one of a horrifically spoilt child but when a child was brought up with nothing else, it was fair that it had to be somewhat compensated with objects such as toys and luscious decorations.

Elena was happy with her life for now and that was all that mattered to any of the family. And, to Elena herself. Elena was happy, and though that wouldn’t last much longer, it was what mattered for now.

It was true, though, that it wouldn’t last much longer. Well, to Elena, she had much more time but for a vampire, a year or two could go by in seconds, just as it did for Klaus. He knew sooner or later he would have to talk to Elena about the ritual- and everything he was made would fall down.

***

Elena was now thirteen and with that came the start of her school career. Of course, she was late to it all and she was slightly older than the other kids, though not by much. Klaus had decided that to stay conspicuous and to actually follow the law for once, Elena should be sent to school.

That was not Klaus’ only reason. Klaus felt Elena was lacking in a broad education. Elena was brilliant at the subjects she did but they were few- English, German and French. She had some of the most intelligent parents in the world but with the lack of education, she may as well have been a rock in comparison.

It went unnoticed until Elijah had found that she couldn’t do simple math and in trying to teach her, hadn’t done so well. Elena couldn’t do Maths, much like many other children at school, and struggled to learn it with a tutor who excelled in the subject. Elijah couldn’t find it in himself to put it in such simple terms that she would understand when much of the Maths he did was University standard or more.

It was Elena’s first day and Klaus was getting her in the car. They had a thirty-minute journey to get to the school and it was early in the morning. Elena often slept in and trying to get up at six in the morning had been a struggle for her.

‘Come on, love. Hurry up!’ Klaus called out as Elena hauled her school bag out. She was joining a week or two into the term due to a mess up in the system and the school had sent most of the equipment to their house and now Elena had to lug the whole load into the car and then to her allocated locker at her new school.

Within a few minutes, they were buckled in and reversing out of the driveway. It was now eight o’clock and Elena’s school began at eight-forty; she had just enough time to get her timetable and get to class before the ring of the bell.

‘How many students will there be?’ Elena asked timidly. She wasn't good with crowds and from what she had found out about the school during her research, it looked rather large.

‘A lot, Elena. But, you’ll do fine- there's nothing to worry about. I raised you to be strong, Elena, people shouldn't bother you.’ Elena nodded, not feeling any better at the situation. She knew that Klaus’ words were supposed to be comforting but it left a bitter aftertaste in her mouth.

They weren't even half way there and Elena’s stomach was already fluttering. She had gone through all the worst scenarios and she was afraid. There wouldn't be much to worry about, though, when they arrive and Klaus knew that. Elena was outgoing and she would surely make friends quickly.

Klaus looked over, a pitying look on his face. ‘I know you're nervous, love, but I assure you that you'll fine. If not, don't think I won't have my fists at the ready.’ Elena smiled lightly, knowing Klaus really would throw a punch if someone did the littlest of things to her. He was just that type of man.

‘Okay.’ She giggled and sat back in her seat, trying to relax.

After the relatively short drive, they pulled up at the school, earning gawks from many of the students. Klaus had decided that it was best to choose his bullet proof Ferrari to drop it off and it seemed to be drawing unwanted attention with its blacked out windows and ridiculously shined casing.

‘Be careful, love.’ Klaus smiled and Elena leant over and placed her lips on his cheek.

‘See you soon!’ She smiled brightly and bounded out of the car suddenly nervous at the amount of eyes on her. She had lived in isolation for years and suddenly the crowd felt overwhelming but she sucked it up and headed to the office, her backpack digging painfully into her back.

She found herself at the office after five minutes of scouring the school. She hadn’t asked for any help; she had taught herself that she didn’t need help. Elena was independent and she loved the feeling of accomplishment whenever she did something, including finding the office.

‘Hello, how can I help you.’ The receptionist said generically as if she had rehearsed the line for hours, which she probably had.

‘Timetable for Elena Mikaelson, please.’ She stated, watching the reception leave to the office just behind her to fetch her timetable.

She came back and handed Elena a flimsy piece of paper that told her what she had.

She looked at Monday and found that she had English first thing, perfect. She let a smile form on her face and she left the office beaming.

She made her way down the winding corridors that were crowded by students and founds classroom Q11.

When she entered, multiple pairs of eyes stared at her, making no attempts to hide it.

She sat down, ignoring the many eyes trailed on her and got out her English book that she had been sent.

So far, she had caught up on the homework that had already been given on grammar, which Elena was particularly good at, but she had no other work and her book looked so blank at first glance, only half of the first page filled in.

The class quietened down when the teacher finally walked in after the bell rang for a second time, commencing lessons.

The man looked young, he could pass for one of the older students if he chose to. He had chestnut hair and green eyes that Elena would die for but apart from that he seemed rather plain.

He stood behind his desk and announced the page that they needed to look at of the book they were currently looking at.

After the class began reading hurriedly, the teacher approached Elena a beaming smile on his face.

‘Elena, right?’ He asked. She nodded and gave him a weak smile.

‘I'm glad you’re here, Elena. My names Mr Salvatore and I'll be your new English teacher.’

***

Elena stared at Stefan, curiosity flaming in her eyes. Her gaze was ice cold, though. She felt something was off, this guy was putting her off to be exact. She felt choked in his presence and the way he said her name only made her suspicious of what was about to come.

‘Do you have your supplies?’ His voice was sweet like honey, sickening. Elena wanted to gag. What was this man trying to do? Impress her? Did he do this to all the students? She was definitive that he did not. ‘Yes.’ She stated, her gaze now frosted over- the perfect representation of winter, cruel and unforgiving.

Stefan smiled despite her inability to be kind to him. He wasn’t surprised- whoever had brought her up was a cruel man, or woman, and Elena would have unquestionably gained some of their traits. Stefan moved away, not wanting to draw attention to them. ‘Elena, please stay after class to look over the work you’ve missed.’ He announced, the class snickering at her misfortune of missing break. But, Elena didn’t mind. She had nothing to do at break, anyway. Unless you counted the multiple chocolate bars she had snuck in her bag, surely she could spend the entire break time scoffing those down.

She nodded and sank lower into her seat, though, because despite not wanting to go to break, she did not want to speak to her new teacher either. Luckily, there was only a five-minute break in between classes but that didn’t mean that the students didn’t take it to their full advantage and not just to get to their next class.

The class passed quickly, boringly. Elena had done nothing. There was writing included in this topic just mind-numbing comprehension questions that she could see would rarely be useful. Still, as the class went, she continued with her work, trying to exclude Stefan’s overt gaze from the room. She felt that if she pretended he was no longer in the world, she could continue to catch up on her work and not have to leave for break or her next lesson, Maths.

‘I would like to see your parents, Elena, to talk about fitting into the school this late. I’m sure you’ll be fine catching up and making friends but as the head of your year, I would also like to see all the parents as you missed the first parents’ evening.’ Stefan explained himself well but Elena could see the excuses rolling of his tongue in handfuls. Stefan wanted to meet her parents but why? Maybe that was what the eerie vibe was. He didn’t like her parents? No, she was sure that her English teacher could not have that sort of knowledge. Or, maybe he could. Although he looked young, he had that look in his eyes that her whole family did- her vampire family. Then it clicked, he must be a vampire. She couldn’t be sure and she didn’t want to come to a conclusion but having the knowledge tucked away would help her in the long run.

‘I can tell him to come after school.’ She stated. She wanted to find out what was happening and if this was the way to do it, then she would. She knew she was not endangering family; to do that, her family had to be weak. They were anything but weak. ‘Do you want me there too?’ She asked, her voice seemingly innocent and sweet behind that sheet of ice that masked her. He shook his head.

‘I need to speak to your parents in private, there is no need for you to be here.’ Elena sighed, this was an uphill battle. She needed to hear what they said and something told her that Klaus would not let her near the conversation either. ‘Go to your next class, Elena. The bell’s gone.’ Elena rushed off despite not wanting to even see the word ‘maths’ but she had no choice. She was at school now and that meant she had to follow school rules.

Maths finished, then break, then her next classes, then lunch and then the final of her classes and after a six hour day of torture, she was free- almost. Klaus was in his car waiting when Elena knocked on the window to open it. He obeyed and his face came into view although, he still had sunglasses to hide his face- though at that time, Elena had no idea why. ‘What?’ Klaus didn't seem to be in the best of moods and the words came out like a silent order to get in the car and let him drive her home. But, Elena did not. ‘My teacher wants to see you. A lot.’ She emphasised, knowing he would only come if it was urgent.

‘Elena, there is no reason for me to see your teacher.’ He groaned, his hands tightening on the steering wheel.

‘Klaus, there's something off about him. Please go see him.’ Elena’s eyes went wide and glossy and it was clear, even to Klaus, that she was bribing him into going. And, as always, he did and pushed the car door open, locking it behind him. As he got out, the whole school gawked at him. Not only had he just got out of a bullet proof sports car but he also was undoubtedly attractive to most eyes. He smirked and led Elena, his palm on her back, inside the school. Once the doors open, even more students eyes were on them and Elena could even see a few parents’ eyes on them. Elena then led the way through the winding corridors and to Stefan’s English classroom in hopes that he was still there.

‘Stefan Salvatore.’ Klaus spat as Elena’s eyes went wide, looking between the two of them. Klaus’ smirk had grown into a menacing, wide smile. ‘Never thought I would see you again.’ Stefan then looked over, another man with raven hair following his gaze. The two of them looked afraid, terrified even. It was clear why. Klaus was stronger than them and that only proved one thing for Elena, they were vampires too. Klaus stepped towards the two boys without so much as a glance at Elena, wanting to show off in front of her. Not that Klaus knew he was doing it. Subconsciously, Klaus always wanted to impress Elena- even if she was only thirteen.

‘I thought you two boys would be dead by now.’ He growled. It seemed his mercenaries had failed in finding the two incompetent vampires and Klaus couldn't be more furious. ‘I wanted the moonstone but it seemed that my men were unable to get it off you.’ His voice had changed tone. The whole atmosphere was serene. Klaus smiled as if he was staring at an old friend, which was almost what Stefan was, and the two boys both stood strong despite it being clear they were putting all their energy into not shaking. Klaus cracked his knuckles, if only to scare them away more.

‘Moonstone?’ It was Elena’s time to speak and all the eyes in the room flew to her as if she was rat scurrying across the floor. They weren't afraid but they were undoubtedly worried about what she had heard. In the tension, it seemed they had forgotten about her. Well, Stefan and Damon had. Klaus’ wits never left him, he would detect if Elena was only just within hearing distance never mind only a metre away.

‘It's safer we keep it away from you, Elena.’ The man with the raven hair spoke up, eyeing the young girl; he was trying to detect Katherine in the young girl but it seemed his replacement was useless. And, working with Klaus Mikaelson. ‘I really don't think it is. What do you think, sweetheart?’ He was aggravating them now. He knew their weakness’. He would never go into a potential fight without knowledge and despite this not being what he thought this would be, he wasn’t surprised and he was glad to be able to use his knowledge.

Elena simply shrugged, She didn't want to be involved; she wanted to stay an onlooker to the situation. She wanted to scrape away the surface of the conversation to know the true meaning behind it. Elena was scared of what was about to happen but it never did, they called a silent truce- one Klaus would break later on. She and Klaus left only a few minutes later, Klaus brooding his next plan. Klaus couldn't fight without a plan. He was impulsive often and strong but this time, to protect Elena, he had to be careful. He had a weakness now and he had let it happen so his only option now was to give in and protect Elena with all he had. Because, he knew that war could happen any moment and those two men might just have been the start of it.

 


	7. Chapter 7

**7.**

How To Break A Relationship

 

Two years later and the war had not even begun. Elena had gotten used to Stefan’s on comings and questions and had learnt to ignore it, maybe even warm to him. At fifteen-years-old, Elena was definitely becoming slightly antisocial. Her phone was often in her hand and the few times she did talk to her friends, to which she only had little, was through text messages. Klaus, as old as he was, wasn’t quite used to the natural state of a teenager and was surprised by what he now had to deal with on a daily basis.

Elena, on the other hand, did not think that she was being antisocial at all. She was indeed often on her phone around Klaus but that was for an entirely different reason altogether. It could be described as crush in simple terms and the fact that it was on her supposed father figure that had made the situation all the more complicated. She hadn’t told a soul and she didn’t intend to. It wasn’t as if she could tell anyone. Her friends would believe she was in love with her foster father, as she had put it, and her Aunt and Uncle would only persuade her to move on. Rebekah loved gossip but was awfully protective of her brother, even from little Elena who she cherished dearly.

Maybe, Elena was just worrying too much but that was what a crush was- a constant state of panic yet a somewhat amazing thrill that came along with that. It was love, but not quite. It was the border where one step could make all the difference. Crushes are held as so insignificant yet that moment where Elena’s heart snapped and found itself heading in a direction was the day her life changed forever. The man she could never see as her father, hardly even her brother, had finally become something. She had realised what her child-self was so torn upon. She wanted more. But, she was fifteen- she could have more.

‘Elena! Get off your phone and get in the car.’ Klaus’ voice boomed throughout the room and Elena flinched slightly- lately, Klaus’ temper had become shorter than it already was. She nodded, though, and stuffed her phone into her pocket, shuffling towards the car. She hadn’t said a word in days except for a few answers to Elijah when he continued her education with him as a few extra-curricular activities. She hadn’t noticed that was why Klaus’ temper had been snapping. Elena hadn’t spoken to him. She simply had that much effect on him yet she didn’t seem to notice or care as they drove to school in a thick silence.

When they arrived at school, Klaus said the words he had every day since that first day at school two years ago: ‘get that moonstone off, Stefan, will you love?’ Every time he said it, it was said with more disdain. Whether that was towards Elena or Stefan, only Klaus knew.

It was Monday first period and that meant she had English first. She sighed, although she loved English, Stefan was starting to pester her more and more and despite warming to him just a little, she couldn’t help but feel suffocated in his presence. He was like a harmless fly, constantly buzzing but never quite to the point where you swatted it away.

She entered the classroom, the air foggy with sweat and dust. The classroom smelt of old crisps with a hint of boy’s deodorant and despite Elena knowing this smell all too well, she gagged when she entered. Now, not a single pair of eyes landed on her- except a single one. Chloe sat in the corner of the classroom, her jumper loose and her light brown hair swiftly placed in a slightly askew ponytail. Elena smiled and ran up to her, waving. ‘Hey!’ She shouted as she neared the table, Chloe’s large eyes growing even bigger, and went to sit down on the desk besides hers. ‘Have you done the homework?’ Came a panicked voice and in front of them was Nicole and then the trio was complete. It was the same every day. Nicole had been in school years longer than Elena had been yet she still hadn’t learnt how to do her homework on time and it would be no surprise if Chloe had only done it last night, after the sun had gone down, so she could hand it in, no matter how rushed. The trio sat in a line, busily chatting until the bell rang and Stefan entered. As soon as he did, his eyes landed on Elena and she gulped nervously. His eyes were like steel and they didn’t look happy. ‘Elena, can I talk to you outside for a moment.’ Elena stared at her two friends who both looked just as afraid as her. Nicole began to plait her thick black hair, finding anything to fiddle with as she watched her friend get dragged out of the classroom by a furious looking teacher. Chloe, on the other hand, had almost gone up to follow her but had stayed planted in her seat by a firm word from Nicole. It seemed the two, usually laid back, friends were now worrying and it was a sight to behold. Stefan, when irate, really could revert back to a primal vampire’s ways and although his fangs weren’t out, she could see the veins almost bulging under her eyes- not quite noticeable for a normal human but one who had lived with a vampire for years, it wasn’t so hard.

‘What do you want, Stefan.’ Elena spat, her height almost matching his despite his attempts to look down on her, patronize her.

‘You need to know the truth.’ Suddenly, all anger flooded in his eyes and was replaced by a dreadful looking guilt. ‘I didn’t want to. It’s Klaus’ story to tell but he won’t tell you!’ He shouted and threw the nearest thing he saw into the wall, it chipping under the pressure. ‘I don’t care about this stupid teacher role anymore; you need to know. I’ve waited years and I need to explain some things to you and I expect the same in return.’ He sighed and leant against the wall, his eyes closed and his fists clenched.

‘We should find somewhere more private, dismiss the class.’ Elena stated, shoving her hands in her pockets, glowering. ‘This is not what I want to do with my day but you need to calm down and if this will do so then go ahead.’ It was true that growing up, Elena had been taught a certain amount of courtesy but like Klaus, she only used it when seemed fit- and, right now, didn’t seem the right time. Elena had also become somewhat cruel in Klaus’ presence and her eyes said it all. If looks could kill, hers would murder. She didn’t want to waste her time with Stefan but somewhere in her own mind, she knew that he could have crucial information.

Stefan strolled back into the classroom and Elena heard his obnoxiously grovelling voice dismissing the class. All the students flooded out, including her friends, with smiles on their faces- that was one less lesson for them. Although, before her friends left, they approached her, curious look on their faces. ‘Are you not coming?’ Nicole said, looking up at Elena- she was even shorter than Chloe and Elena couldn’t understand how her friends could both be so short. ‘We’ve got a netball match after school, we need to get changed why don’t we now?’ Chloe said, of course she would only talk about sport- it was her natural state and was proven by her slim figure.

‘I have to talk to Mr Salvatore.’ The name slipped off her tongue like gunk. She rarely used his last name nor did she ever really say his name at all. The two other girls sighed; there was no getting her away from the mysterious English teacher that rarely taught them anything. They were going to fail their end of year tests.

Elena stalked away from her friends who were now bustling along with the rest of the small class to hide in the bathrooms before a teacher found out that they had just been let out- that was definitely not allowed. Stefan, meanwhile, led the way back into the classroom and when they were both alone in the room, he locked the door and sat down in the teacher’s chair whilst Elena hopped up onto a desk timidly, watching as Stefan’s eyes never left her. ‘If we are going to do this, I am asking the questions first. I’m sure I have more than you do.’ Stefan nodded, understanding the testament. ‘I want to know more about vampires. Or more so, the original vampires.’ Elena stated, not evading the question. She and Stefan were blunt people and there was no point in meandering around her true intentions.

‘I'm almost as much in the dark as you are, Elena. The original family mysterious to even their closest allies, you prove that.’ Stefan spun on his chair and faced the board, the whiteboard pen spinning between his fingers. He drew his chair up and began to write. Elena felt as if she had suddenly come into a lesson but I guess it was a replacement for the lesson that had just been dismissed and this was one was much more useful, for her, at least.

‘Just tell me what you know.’ She growled, leaning back in the hard plastic chair on the front row of the class. Her arms were folded protectively over her chest and her teeth were bared in a way that mimicked Klaus’ menace.

‘I already said I would, Elena. Don't get pent up.’ The two were already fed up of being stuck in a room together. It felt as if the walls were closing in and they were smothered by each other's presence. ‘They’re powerful, we both know that. I also know they were born sometime in the dark ages or at least that was what the books told me.’ Stefan wrote some more on the board. It was four symbols. Some were moons, others suns and one a mix of both.

‘These are the symbols for a witch, vampire, werewolf and hybrid- a mix of a vampire and a werewolf.’ Elena stood up, curiously walking to the board, tracing the lines with her finger, some of the ink blackening her fingers. ‘I've seen these symbols a lot yet I haven't found what they mean. Nor have I even seen a vampire-werewolf hybrid.’ Stefan spoke, adding a final symbol on. ‘This is the final one that explains everything. Or, at least, I hope so. I haven't figured it out myself. It looks like a sacrifice but that's all I can decipher.’ Elena agreed with him. The symbol was a raging fire surrounded by the symbol for a wolf, a witch and a vampire and within the fire, the symbol for a hybrid. ‘I don’t know anymore. I had only heard of them just before I found you.’ Stefan stated turning his back to the board as Elena trudged back to her seat.

‘Found me?’ She asked, lifting her eyebrows up. He nodded.

‘I’d been looking for you for years. As soon as your room was burnt down actually.’ Stefan looked incompetent to the subject. He cared much more about Elena than her family and the house she had once lived on. He was focused on the Original family and why they had taken Elena. Nothing else mattered.

‘So, you met my family?’ Elena’s eyes looked hopeful but Stefan just sighed.

‘Not personally. I know they’re all still alive, that’s it.’ Stefan said and Elena’s eyes went wide.

‘My brother is dead.’ She stated solemnly, the glint of hope in her eyes.

‘No he isn’t, is that what he told you?’ Stefan barked out a laugh, he couldn’t believe it. ‘It seems you and Klaus have a lot to talk about, I’ll leave this conversation for here now.’ Elena nodded but her mind was elsewhere. Klaus had lied that her brother was dead.

Klaus had lied.

He lied that her brother had died.

He lied.

***

The day ended early for Elena. She had called Klaus, the usual fluttery feeling in her stomach no longer there as he spoke to her. She tried to stay calm but her tapping foot and crackling knuckles told a different story.

After minutes of waiting, Klaus pulled up in a battered car. ‘Elijah took mine.’ He stated, his eyebrows drawn down in anger. Elena nodded aggressively and slammed the door behind her as she threw herself into the seat. Klaus looked at her curiously but knew it was best to wait until they got home. He hoped that Elena was annoyed at anyone but him, he was wrong, so, so very wrong.

They pulled up at the large estate and Elena sat down, watching Klaus get out. He was about to open the door for her when she pushed it open, slamming it into his legs. He winced but simply stared her down. He was trying to solve something but he couldn’t find a conclusion. He hadn’t heard a word from her apart from ‘can you pick me up? Now.’ Klaus was beginning to fear what was about to take place but led Elena into the house nonetheless. The furniture could be replaced later.

They stepped over the threshold of the house and Elena finally broke. Without realising it, she had opened the floodgates and her cheeks were glistening with tears. She turned to Klaus who could only mimic her expression. He failed at empathy on so many levels that he had found it best to match what the other looks like. That was the last thing he should have done. ‘How could you?’ She spat, approaching him, matching his eyes. Elena was only slightly shorter than him now but she didn’t think she would ever match him. ‘How could you lie about someone so important to me?’ She cried out, the speech amalgamating with a sob. In that moment, Klaus clearly knew what Elena was talking about it but did not elaborate. He watched Elena break. He would see it sooner or later so why not now.

He made to move away, his face expressionless.

‘Don’t you dare leave me like this.’ She growled, running after him, clutching his arm painfully hard. The strength she had, for a human, was vast. She had clearly learnt a thing or two from Klaus and she was ready to show it off. ‘Not when I need answers.’ She growled, her tone lowering with each word.

Klaus stood tall, not wanting to back down, yet the state Elena was in did change something somewhere in him. He had never cared about other’s emotions but his families and even then, he was often blind to what they thought. Elena, it seemed, he cared for more than any of them. He didn’t want to; he wanted to do anything but that. But, Elena was part of the family now and seeing her crying made him swallow thickly and turn around to see what she wants to say.

‘Why did you say that Jeremy was dead?’ Her voice was deadpanned, bored. She had taken Klaus’ efforts to use and mimicked him. She was impassive to the situation despite her tear-stained cheeks and blood-shot eyes.

‘I did because I had to.’ Klaus stated. That was no excuse.

‘Try again.’ She spat, leaning on the balls of her feet to reach eye level. Her attempts at threatening Klaus were failing. Klaus cared for Elena but that hadn’t stripped him of his power. He was the most powerful being in the world, a little girl wouldn’t intimidate him.

‘I couldn’t bring him here and it was the only way to keep you quiet.’ He admitted, his face not moving. He stood by what he said and in that moment, Klaus was back. The weakened version of him that Elena had revealed was gone. He had brought his walls back up and they were now more impenetrable than ever.

‘What?’ She asked, stunned that he had said it so bluntly. Klaus said nothing and waited for realisation to set in. She knew Klaus had done it for his own good but her curiosity was more important than her anger.

‘I’m going to use you in a ritual that could kill you. Your brother has no use to me, only you.’ The statement was blunt and wasn’t thought through. Yet, in his blind rage, Klaus didn’t care that he had revealed his secret. He knew that Elena wouldn’t run, couldn’t run. She would think it through and stay to learn more. Klaus smiled as Elena’s face fell.

‘I want to know what this ritual is.’ Her voice was shaky but she stated it without stumbling.

‘Not today.’ He stated and walked off, not caring what Elena thought of him now. He was a monster, even in her eyes and that made the statement all the truer. You only are what people believe you are. And, if they believed he was a monster, he would be a monster.

Elena was left in the parlour, shocked. Her mind was reeling, she had no explanation for what had just happened. It felt like a de-ja-vu. It felt as if they had this argument before, in another life. She felt as if they were enemies and that she hated him for more than her own sacrifice. Her hatred ran so deep that it could be mistaken that he had killed a family member. He almost did, he had said Jeremy had. And, as I said before, you are shaped by what people think of you.

Elena’s stomach fell and she felt jittery. She hadn’t noticed that Elijah had now walked in, Rebekah at his side. She hadn’t noticed that they had brought her to her bedroom. She hadn’t noticed that she didn’t sleep that night. She didn’t notice getting out of bed the next morning. She noticed nothing. She felt empty and she had no explanation why.

Klaus had destroyed her in just a few words and neither of them were sorry. That was what it was. She didn’t regret a thing and she didn’t know what to feel in its place.

***

Two days later and Klaus had come to his senses. Not in the traditional sense but rather the very ‘Klaus’ sense. He had gone back to hit brutal, blunt ways- with a hint of charm on the side. Elena had not returned to normal. She was raging the whole day and it had gotten to the point where Elijah had put her under house arrest, she couldn’t even go to school. The situation only made Elena more furious; Klaus could hear the pounding on his office door but it took two days of constant tapping before he finally swung the door open and Elena flew in, almost falling to the ground.

‘What?’ He spat, looking down at the crouched Elena.

‘You said you would tell me more about the ritual. I’m here to hear it.’ She eyes Klaus dubiously, it was unlikely that he would fulfil her request but when he sat in his large armchair and motioned for Elena to sit too, she knew her luck was high. She wasn’t excited but she was overtly eager to hear the story.

‘I was born out of wedlock.’ He began and Elena gasped, piecing some pieces of the puzzle in immediately. ‘That means that I am only the half-brother of Elijah and Rebekah and the rest of my siblings.’ Elena raised an eyebrow but Klaus did not elaborate on these other siblings; he had enough on his plate already. ‘My father, the one different to theirs, was, in fact, a werewolf.’ More information piecing together. ‘My step-father despised me for it. He beat me, threatened me. He did all the things a father was not meant to do to a young boy but in those times, no one had the care to stop it. When it came to the time when my parents decided to turn us into vampires, my father almost declined me the ritual. The spell was for safety, even my mother was unsure what it would do to us. She certainly didn’t except vampiredom. My mother, though, fought against my father and the ritual was finished. And then, I became the hybrid.’ Elena nodded understandingly.

‘But you are no different to other vampires, are you?’ Elena asked curiously, looking Klaus up and down for any signs of wolf nature, finding none in his perfect skin and tall poise.

‘I was, not anymore. The ritual now is to reverse a ritual done back then. One that my father forced my mother to do. It locked away my werewolf side.’ Elena’s eyes widened again. Suddenly, all the symbols made sense and the story flowed as smoothly as a river.

‘What’s my part in this?’ Elena asked abruptly. Even she was unaware she had said it until moments later. Klaus smiled sadly.

‘You are to die.’ Klaus’ face fully then and it was clear he was pained for this to happen. ‘But, I’m selfish, you know that, Elena. I feel dead without my werewolf. I am a wolf and even centuries after it was denied from me, I still wish to be one with the wolf again.’ Elena could see the desperation roll off him. They cared for each other and neither wanted to go through with this because one gained, the other got loss and only the one with gain got to decide whether it went through or not. And, of course, in that situation, it was going to happen no matter what.

‘I have a way that could bring you back after the ritual.’ He sighed- excuses.

‘Could?’ She peered up at him through saddened eyes. In that moment, she realised she wanted to do it for this man. She knew she had been used but she also knew Klaus didn't pretend to love her. Klaus was cold, even to his siblings so any warmth to her was not trickery, it was a true display of affection.

‘It's never been used.’ Klaus swallowed thickly and Elena nodded timidly.

‘I want to do it.’ She murmured. Klaus wasn't listening anymore. ‘I want to do it.’ She repeated, louder this time. His head shot up. He knew the ritual would always go through but he had expected that he would have to force her into it- not that he wanted to.

‘You'll what?’ His eyes were fearful. He had been selfish his entire life and suddenly the girl he had brought up to be like him, had done one of the most selfless things he had ever seen. She was willing to sacrifice herself for him. For him.

‘I'm going to do the ritual but I want you to tell me exactly what it entails.’ He nodded and went on to explain it. He told her of each sacrifice as did he tell her of the moonstone he had been looking for. Suddenly, Elena felt enraged that Stefan had stolen it from Klaus’ grasp. Elena, despite being so enraged, cared about Klaus and although she hated the thought of sacrificing these people, including herself, she would do it for him.

Klaus could see her loyalty for him as wanted to run. He had never seen someone so dedicated. Even Elijah, when things had gotten so far, had run away.

‘Why?’ Klaus whispered, looking to the floor for answers.

‘Because I care about you.’ That was the first time she had admitted it out loud not as a child. This was the first time she truly meant it. This is when she realised just how true it was and Klaus did too.

‘I don't understand. I don't understand how you can care for a monster.’ The glass of whiskey in his hand was crushed and scattered to the floor like a thousand stars.

‘I can't either but that doesn't change anything.’ She murmured, neither had the confidence to be any clearer.

‘I know.’ The conversation finished and Elena left the room without another word, leaving Klaus to his own thoughts. Both felt as if they were in the wrong but neither could see the future either- a future in which they could both be happy.

 


	8. Chapter 8

**8.**

How To Sacrifice Yourself

 

A year later and Elena was sixteen and there was no reason for the ritual not to take place. The moonstone had been stolen from Damon’s soap dish by Klaus himself when they had gone over to their living space, some hovel on the edge of the town. Klaus had been surprised by the lack of grandeur but didn’t mention it- he was glad to see them living poorly, miserably even. The brothers were stuck with each other after all.

Elena had grown albeit not much. She was still shorter than Klaus but that didn’t stop her from opposing order on the household. She had grown into herself and was confident in who she was. She hadn’t regretted her decision to go through the ritual and as Klaus drew further away, Elijah grew closer to the girl. The searched extensively for a cure but, so far, had come up with nothing.

It was clear the Klaus was jealous of the pair but he never made a move to change the situation. Klaus had his tantrums but he also had his sulks. It was surprising that even after a thousand years, a man could still act like a toddler.

Elena still had school but she worked around her schedule and had even gone so far as to invite Chloe and Nicole to her house to make sure she wasn’t only working. The two girls had loved the house and despite being timid of the three adults, they soon grew close too. Rebekah was in love with Nicole as they shared an enjoyment in fashion and makeup- Nicole would learn a lot from Rebekah. And it was clear the Chloe had peaked Elijah’s interest when she had loved sport. She surely didn’t look like it. She was short with a thin frame and wasn’t exactly packed with muscle yet you could say she was the best at many of the school sports. Elijah was curious as to how her body managed to even do it and there was nothing that could deter Elijah from his course if he wanted to know something, no matter how mundane. Elena, as her friends talked to the now teenage-like adults, went to Klaus who was looking down at them on the balcony.

‘This is Klaus!’ She had called out, just to draw attention to Klaus- to annoy him.

‘Really, Elena. You need to stop.’ Elijah had sighed, quietly but the whole room heard.

‘I did nothing wrong!’ She had replied, calling for Nicole and Chloe to follow her to her room.

A day later and the house was quiet and preparations for the ritual were in place. Elijah had a phial that could save Elena but the chances were slim and they were still searching for a cure, thinking that the phial was almost no better than having nothing.

Klaus had remained in the shadows of the whole scenario. He was pulling away from Elena and everyone was letting it happen, knowing there was a very high chance that Elena could die. Although, Rebekah and Elijah were, if anything, becoming closer to Elena to compensate that.

Rebekah had begun helping them search for a cure and despite Klaus’ distance, he did give his input on specific occasions.

‘It's the full moon tonight.’ Elijah sighed, cleaning his fists that rested on the table. Elena turned to him, the room empty apart for the two of them, and gave him a curious look. ‘That means the ritual must happen tonight.’ Elena’s head turned sharply back to the phial on the table.

‘Is this my only hope?’ She asked, her body shaking slightly in fear. Elijah nodded solemnly and said nothing more.

‘We have everything else for the ritual. The vampire and werewolf, per your request, are even willing. Although, I hardly see how that's any better.’ Elena shrugged the comment off and left the room, her body still shaking.

She ended up in the basement where the two ‘willing’ creatures waited. It was clear why they were willing at first sight. The two girls were different in many ways. One, the vampire, was tall in slim with short blonde hair- she looked formal yet something set her away from the rest. I was the fact that her eyes had no colour. She was a vampire but she had been turned after being born blind and even vampirism hadn't solved it. The girl, Jemima, had lived an eternity of blindness and she had finally found something that she could die for. She die for someone else's gain- despite that person being a cruel monster. She was desperate, now, and had told herself it was okay to do this.

The other girl, on the other hand, was short, her chestnut hair still falling to her waist in gentle waves. There was no doubt that she was a werewolf from her flickering eyes…and the large scratch across her mouth that forbid her from speaking. The girl, Megan, was in the same boat as Jemima and the girls may have been two different species but they had gotten along well together in the short period of time they had been there.

Megan was buzzing at this rate. She was an excitable person and although she was afraid to end her life tonight, she still had a smile on her face- she was just that type of optimistic person. Elena could see her back when she had speech blathering on about this and that her everyone listened just to hear the excitement in her voice.

Once again, Jemima was different. Jemima wasn't afraid and she was calm. It made sense, Megan was most likely in her early twenties and Jemima was most like in her two hundred and twenties. Elena couldn't understand how Megan was willing to do this at such a young age but she had learnt later that Megan held hope of being born again and although she didn't believe in it herself, she was glad to see someone in the household with some beliefs- it gave her hope too.

‘Hi!’ Elena smiled weakly and joined the two girls in the oddly luxurious room for one in the basement. Both Jemima and Megan were under house arrest by Klaus’ request- he did not want anyone leaving- but so was Elena and the rest of the household so it made no difference in the long run. ‘How are you doing?’ Elena's smiled turned dark as she saw the glimmer of hope in Megan's eyes fade. They both looked scared but Jemima had done well to keep her façade of calm on her face. Jemima wasn't afraid of death but no one could not be afraid of pain. It was every species instinct to avoid pain. Pain can only be described as pain yet there is something so unnaturally terrifying at the thought that every single soul on this earth is scared of not. It only shows that pain is as powerful as any other feeling.

‘We’re okay.’ Jemima said. It looked as though Megan wanted to talk but the stitches holding her skin in place stopped her. They ran right through the middle of her lips and the most she could do was smile and no more. Sometimes, she even failed to do that for the pain it caused her. That is probably what had caused her to enter this. As said before, pain is stronger and although the thought of not speaking for the rest of your life is scary, it doesn't drive someone to sacrifice them self. But, the pain caused by just trying to laugh, to talk or even to smile explains it all.

‘That's good.’ The conversation ended there, none of them having much to say but, Elena gave them a few words of hope before they went. She couldn't leave them with nothing: ‘Don't give up hope. Elijah and I are trying to make it so no one dies…even if you want to.’ Elena sighed and walked out of the room, leaving an awkward tension.

The spiral staircase dizzied her already muddled mind and by the time she had reached the parlour, she wanted to hurl. ‘The sun will be setting soon, get some rest.’ Elijah ordered, walking up to him, one hand tucked away in his pocket. Elena nodded weakly and made it up the next flight of stairs before her vision began to blur and her mind spin. ‘Elijah.’ She murmured what was meant to be a shout but with Elijah’s hearing, he had heard it just as quickly.

In less than a second, Elijah was by her side. He brought her into his arms and brought her to her bedroom. The room was now a lot more mature than it had once been. The pink had been replaced by a delicate cream and the white had been replaced with some blood red curtains and a rug of the same colour. The room was beautiful, if not a bit grand, and Elena was glad at the comfort it brought her as Elijah lay her on the bed.

‘What’s happening?’ He asked, taking her temperature. He would find nothing. It wasn’t an illness that Elena had caught. It was fear. Reality had set in and she was afraid. Afraid of the pain. Afraid of what Klaus might be. And, most of all, afraid of death.

‘Nothing.’ She wheezed, her chest tightening. She felt the urge to run but she couldn’t. She had heard Klaus’ fears of her running and she would stay, for him. They weren’t on good terms but she would do anything for him and she knew why. She had grown to accept, over the years, that her feelings were more than they once were. She had once seen him as a father, then a brother and now a friend. But, she wanted more. She could see the look on his face when she got her first boyfriend and she could only assume he saw hers when he brought one of his ‘friends’ home from a night out drinking. Even with a child, Klaus was irresponsible.

‘Elena, you can tell me.’ He smiled, barely visible to just anyone but Elena had become accustomed to Elijah’s emotions and although he hid behind that red door, she knew what he was thinking a lot of the time. Still, she couldn’t read him fully just quite but she didn’t think she ever could, that would be another woman’s job because there was no doubt that he would find someone someday.

Before Elena could say anything, Klaus had entered the room, looking solemn. ‘It’s time.’ He stated, his voice strong but his body language weak. He had grown too close to Elena, he knew that but he had known this whole time that no matter how close they were, he always came first and he had done for a thousand years. Elena nodded, her face just as fallen as Klaus’. Neither of them were ready to do this but Elena was of age now. Klaus would never harm a child and he had name sixteen as the age he would do it. Elena had never understood his lack of cruelty to children but she had seen glimmers of pain in his eyes when he talked of children and it had all clicked not long before the ritual. His father. His father had beaten him as a child and he would never do that to another. Elena could see the silent vow he had made.

Elena followed Klaus outside, Elijah following behind. The place of the ritual had been found in America and Elena had already packed for the trip- she had packed nothing. She almost didn’t expect to come back. Jemima and Megan, who were now at her side, where the same. They had a long plane journey ahead but when they reached the destination, it would be an hour before midnight and all preparations could be made. It almost felt impossible that they had managed to do this so easily. There had been no war for the stone and Elena had withheld the truth from Stefan so there was no fight there, either. They had found two willing volunteers for the ritual and there was only one flaw in the whole plan.

Elena might not make it out alive.

***

When they arrived, it was nearing eleven o’clock. The plane journey had been long and dull, no one having anything to do but watch bad films on a bad screen when the gory scenes were no worse than what was about to happen to them in reality. If anything, it only scared everyone more. We were all scared, even Klaus was unsure of what was about to happen although no one would be able to tell that from the smug look on his face and his tall poise. He looked as if he was going to war and maybe he was. No one knew the consequences of this.

They were now in Mystic Falls and the sun was nowhere in the sight. The moon shone ominously on the side of the car as Elena rested her head on the glass, looking up the stars for help- she found none. The streets were quiet barring a dog’s bark and the low hum of a radio out of an insomniac’s window.

The car hummed quietly as it drove as slowly as twenty miles per hour but no one made any move to tell Klaus to drive faster, they were all afraid of what was to come and this would give them time to say goodbye, or just contemplate, their life up until this point. The group was all there for different reasons and something about the situation had made a different impression on all of us.

Elijah held the phial in his hand; his hands shaking minutely, barely visible to the human eye. Klaus had remained tall throughout the trip, he had the least to lose yet something in his eyes told me that there was a twinge of guilt for the act he was about to do. Jemima and Megan both seemed calm on the surface until you noticed their trembling lips and slightly watered eyes and the uneven taps of their foot and the car floor. Elena made no move to comfort them and let them think it through. Even if Klaus wouldn’t let them go, she would. They could wait another month. Except, Klaus couldn’t. He was hot tempered and rash and this had only ensured that the ritual would happen that night and no other night.

The car continued to stroll down to road when they twisted round a corner and an all too familiar house came into view. The side that had been once been burned had been fixed and a new loft was clear in sight. The room that had once been Elena's bedroom was no storage- insignificant, pointless.

‘That was my house, wasn't it?’ Elena asked, a sense of déjà vu washing over her. Klaus nodded. ‘Can I go in? To meet them.’ She continued which was only received with a shake of the head. Elena looked disappointed but didn’t make any further attempts. All attempts would be futile.

They finally pulled up at the spot they intended the ritual to be at. It was a calm place, only disrupted by the raucous birds that occasionally flew over. The grass was greener than Elena had ever seen but then again, in England, nature was wild and this, although it was also wild, looked somewhat cared for. It was on the edge of the forest and it would be likely that a garderner would oversee it every now and then.

‘Half an hour.’ Klaus’ voice was breathy and shocked as if he didn’t believe this was happening himself. He had waited centuries for this and finally it was happening and in that he would have to kill one of the people he loved most. Life was cruel, they had all learnt that a long time ago. ‘Let’s set up!’ He announced and all contenders began to shake, including Elena. Elijah apporoached the three cautiously with the phial still in his hands.

‘Here.’ He murmured, handing over the potion. ‘All take a sip, not only Elena. There is enough and if there is even a slim chance of you surviving, I’m taking it.’ They all nodded, having no energy to argue before going to their respective circle. The flames shot up sending them all reeling back. They were afraid, truly afraid. The flames licked at their skin but never took a bite as they all huddled in the middle, looking at the flames with wide eyes. They all had a chance of survival yet so slim that there was no point in hope. At this point, they should have just given up. The potion was strong, they knew that, but could a single phial go against all nature. This was magic they were working with and Elena doubted that magic could be fought with more magic without causing havoc.

‘Midnight.’ Klaus said looking into the sky. The moon was above them, illuminating the ground with a beautifully unnerving glow. ‘It’s time.’ He choked out, looking at Elena. Klaus was strong but even this he couldn’t do. But, he had to. Because he was selfish. He met Elena’s eyes and shook his head, the tears were both pooling in there eyes now and there would be no stopping it.

Klaus turned away, shaking his head and bearing one of his wrists, slicing it neatly with a knife before he began to chant. No witch was needed in the process. He was dealing with nature here but a witch was there to preserve nature, not destroy it. The balance had been restored when Klaus had been stripped of his wolf- he was creating too much power bringing it back.

Suddenly, the flames encased the three girls. Elena heard Megan scream, what was once a scream of fear had turned to one of agony as she pulled her stitches apart. Elena couldn’t imagine the pain. She didn’t want to. Elena distracted herself, staring at the beautifully formed fire over her head. She was about to die so she at least wanted to appreciate the beauty before then. She didn’t regret this, though. She wasn’t dying for nothing. She was dying for what only she would call a good cause. Dying for Klaus- dying for the man she hadn’t admitted to falling in love with.

Klaus, without Elena seeing, had already walked to Jemima and ripped her heart out mercilessly, he couldn't have mercy now- he just had to make it quick. She made no noise and the rest were glad because at least they could believe that the ritual wasn't real, this was a dream- screams only made it more real.

Megan was next but she didn't hold back her screams. The pain and fear were now one and Elena could only imagine that her stitches were now undone and her skin had ripped open. She pleaded Klaus to make it quick, not to stop, and Klaus did exactly that. In a second, her heart had stopped and so had the rest of her body.

Elena was last, the flames now dimmer. By the time Klaus had reached her, tears were staining his cheeks and he could hardly speak. He reached forward through the flames and stepped through the flames- they made no affect on him. Klaus was trembling as was Elena but they held their heads high and continued on. ‘If you had said no, I don't think I would have done this.’ He murmured his hand pressed against her chest, his fingers drumming alone to her steady heartbeat- the beat that would soon be broken. ‘I know.’ She breathed. She knew that if she had said no, he would have to pick someone else. Yet, she still didn't know why it was her that had to be the third piece. She didn't understand but she never questioned it. She knew that if she chose her that there was something different about her- she had never fit in, anyway.

Klaus’ hand went into her chest with military precision and Elena gasped, the tears beginning to roll. She was in the face of death and despite being the most afraid she had been her whole life, she kept her head held high. That didn't stop the tears, though, on either of them. Klaus let out a strangled sob as Elena cupped his cheek. ‘I can't do this to you, Elena.’ He gasped, he was now in full control of her heart and the thought was comforting even if he would be the one to turn it to ash.

‘Yes, you can, you have no other choice.’ She wasn't sure if that was true but I was too late to take it back and with the look Klaus gave her, she knew she was right.

‘I'm so sorry.’ Another tear left both of their eyes and Klaus leaned forward, their foreheads touching, and ripped her heart out.

Then, he howled.

 


	9. Chapter 9

**9.**

How To Destroy Fate

 

Klaus was alone. Two years later and he sat, alone, in the parlour, a whisky in hand. The day had been busy, only making ignoring the inevitable easier. It was Elena’s eighteenth birthday today. And, they were going to celebrate. She was alive even after dying.

That didn’t say nothing happened to her after the ritual. If anything, she became more loyal but something had turned her personality astray. She was bold now and although she still had a love for writing, she preferred to speak it rather than write it. Maybe she had just grown into herself, it was her eighteenth birthday today after all. The house was buzzing with excitement and the parlour soon began to fill with helpers, the two hybrids being the most useful. Two years after the ritual and they still were struggling to understand why there were only three hybrids. Two of them, Jemima and Megan. They had drunk the potion too meaning that not only Elena had survived, they did too. Jemima with her sight back and Megan her stitched lips only a memory. Although, the garish scar on her face still left the remanence of the terrible accident.

The two bustled into the room, hitting each other playfully on the shoulder. The two friends liked to joke around a little too much for Klaus’ liking but he had grown accustomed to it just as they had become accustomed to his many threats that he never went through on, for Elena’s sake.

Since the day of the ritual, Klaus and Elena had only grown closer. Elena had chased after Klaus like a lost puppy and Klaus knew today would be the day he stopped running. She had been catching up, anyway, there was no point in delaying the inevitable.

‘Jemima, Megan, start hanging the bunting up.’ Klaus ordered, the statement seeming to mundane to be on his tongue. Klaus had shouted many orders in his time but not often had he said the word ‘bunting’ or any one of the worker’s names. Klaus was changing for the better under Elena’s influence but she couldn’t fix everything. Klaus was Klaus and she accepted that. She loved him for that and today would be the day it was going to finally happen.

Elena, whilst the party preparations were in full swing at home, was at Chloe’s house along with Nicole and Rebekah. As part of what some may say was a mad joke, Rebekah had become close with the group and the trio was now a group of four. Despite Rebekah being a thousand years older, she looked the same age and the rest could only assume she was in her early twenties. They had spat out the lie that Rebekah had grown up alongside Elena and every time it was brought up it took all of Elena’s strength to stifle a laugh. She wasn’t born in the 1000s.

The girls chatted, waiting patiently for the party. This would finally claim Elena and adult. Nicole’s eighteenth had been back in December so she wasn’t the oldest- and Rebekah was there too- but Chloe was only two days after hers so they had agreed to turn eighteen together.

‘Klaus better remember that this is Chloe’s party too. I know he wants to go all out on me but it’s for Chloe too.’ Elena groaned, thinking through all the possible negative outcomes of letting Klaus plan the party.

‘Elijah is there too, you’ll be fine.’ Rebekah reassured, smirking. She knew something Elena didn’t- Klaus’ present. Klaus’ oh, so special present and she felt giddy just at the thought of it. But, she had a good poker face and the girls had reached no conclusion that Rebekah knew anything more than they did.

‘It’s fine, Elena. It’s your actual birthday. We’re still celebrating mine in two days; I already said we were going to have a sleepover like the old days!’ The girls smiled, memories creeping up on them expectedly. They were all so happy and it was a stark contrast to memories of such dark times with Klaus. Although, the happier moments with Klaus shone brighter than any memory with her friends good. And, nothing was good without bad too. Good isn’t good without bad. Elena had accepted that long ago.

‘It’s almost time!’ Nicole squealed excitedly, looking juvenile with her short stature and beaming smile. The group all smiled at each other and jumped up. Rebekah was designated driver and Elena had to say that it was impressive when she saw that Rebekah had brought along her pink Ferrari for the occasion.

‘Isn’t it a bit too much?’ Elena laughed as Chloe and Nicole gawked at the vehicle.

‘It’s nothing, darling. Jump in!’ Rebekah smiled and threw herself into the driver’s seat, they others jumping over the side of the convertible to sit in the back seat.

‘Party time!’ Nicole and Chloe squealed, not a second in between them, sending the car into raucous laughter. The car pulled out of the drive at an alarming speed as Chloe’s mum waved them off, smiling. She didn’t seem to be fazed by the car that almost radiated pink in the driveway- Rebekah must have shown it to her before. Elena laughed at the thought and turned around in the front seat to talk to her friends in the back.

Klaus, on the other hand, was panicking. He didn’t panic often but when he had the right to, he did so. Now was one of those times. The party was not ready, at all. ‘Jemima! Megan!’ He roared, his eyes flashing amber- he had tried and failed to conceal his eyes but when the two hybrids saw, they both immediately froze nervously. ‘Why the hell is none of this finished!’ He shouted, throwing his arms into the air.

Megan stumbled on her words and nothing of sense came out. ‘My family…wait, no, Um…’ Klaus rose his eyebrows, his mouth set into a thin line of anger- his eyes were amber again. Jemima intervened.

‘The party is ready, it's in the other room.’ Jemima stated.

‘Yes, but why is there nothing in this room!’ He roared, taking a step towards the two girls who both stumbled back and although Megan nearly fell, Jemima stayed on her feet- standing tall.

‘You did not request that.’ She stated, calmly and he sighed.

‘I shouldn't have to. This whole house should be decorated.’ Klaus growled but his stance more relaxed than before. He realised his mistake. The workers couldn't read his mind. He sighed and fell back onto this sofa. ‘Lock all the doors to this room as soon as I leave.’ He stated and stormed out, clenching his fists before relaxing them again. He needed to be calm for this.

He left the room and silence fell. He glanced over the preparations and everything else, it seemed, had been done to perfection. It was most likely Jemima’s now focused vision that had caused the precision. She had taken her newly claimed sight to its limits but didn’t rely on it, she was the perfect weapon. Of course, Klaus couldn’t think of that now. Elena was about to arrive and he had to be perfect. Klaus ran upstairs and begun to frantically change when he heard the door open.

The whole house remained silent, just as he instructed and when he found his place on the stairs and the lights were switched on, cheers of ‘happy birthday!’ erupted throughout the room. Klaus smiled down at Elena and her friends. His smile was warm and Elena took the weakness to her advantage. ‘Klaus, thank you!’ She squealed, reverting to her old, immature self and flung herself up the stairs and into Klaus’ arms. Elena had grown up fast and despite her childhood being so manic and unpredictable, she had grown up to be a perfect woman. She wasn’t immature nor did she fit into the norm of her age category. She was as ageless as the rest of them were. She was unique, she was perfect. That was what Klaus thought, at least.

‘Do I get my presents yet?’ She smirked devilishly and Klaus nodded. She looked surprised but didn’t say a word. Her mouth was clamped shut and she couldn’t help but let her mind wander to the possibilities of what this could be. ‘I don’t want to ruin your birthday but this is for you, remember that. And, remember that I love you.’ Elena had no words and as Klaus leant in she felt herself rise despite not meaning too. She wanted this much as he did and she hadn’t realised just how much at that moment. The realisation hit as her lips touched his and they were locked in their own world. The guests smiled when they saw the sight and despite a few people from school being terribly confused, they knew that Klaus was not her father, only a guardian and on a child’s eighteenth birthday, any guardian responsibility is revoked. And despite never being her legal guardian, it felt as if that it had just been revoked. Elena was dead in the records but she could never have felt more alive.

She pulled away, smiling as was Klaus. They were in a dream until Elena fell to her knees, clutching her head. Panic arose but Elena immediately shot her head up. ‘What happened?’ Klaus whispered, cradling her to his chest. She wasn’t sad, though, but her smile had faded. ‘I saw another life. I had two different friends, Caroline and Bonnie and Stefan…I loved him. You were there. I…I hated you. I lived in Mystic Falls too. I think…I think that was what my life was going to be- before you took me.’ She gasped, all the information rolling out together. Klaus was piecing the bits together and agreed with her rash conclusion.

He smiled at her, timidly. ‘It changes nothing, right?’ He asked, his smile falling just slightly and she flashed him the widest smile she could. ‘Of course not.’

The party continued on into the night and Elena finally found Klaus, beaming. ‘Any other presents?’ She teased, wrapping her arms around his waist. He smirked down at her. ‘Nothing I know of, love. And, I think the car was enough.’ Elena laughed generously and smiled again, gazing into the ocean of blue in front of her. ‘I don’t believe we didn’t do this sooner.’ She whispered and Klaus nodded in agreement.

‘Me neither.’

‘Can I make one more request, though.’ Elena looked shyer now, her face falling again. Today a lot of things had been going through her head and she hadn’t told a soul and somehow she didn’t believe telling Klaus first was a good idea but it was the best one she had. She trusted him so he would be the first to know.

‘Of course, love.’ His face fell and he rose an eyebrow. Elena looked down to the ground but raised her head back up, looking strong.

‘Klaus, I want to become a vampire.’


End file.
